Bjp

Mumbai civic polls: Shiv Sena-BJP talks near final; Congress-VBA join hands

With only two days left before the nominations process for the civic polls in Maharashtra closes, the ruling and opposition camps are rushing against time to form alliances and finalise seat-sharing agreements amid the shifting political dynamics. In a crucial development, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Sunday announced an alliance between his NCP, a constituent of the ruling Mahayuti combine, and the NCP (SP), led by his uncle Sharad Pawar, for the Pimpri-Chinchwad civic polls, saying the parivar (family) has come together. "For the sake of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation elections, the clock' and the tutari' have united. The parivar has come together, he said. Pawar urged party workers to work hard and refrain from making any controversial comments during rallies. "We are the ones who work for development. We will edge out those who tried to put this municipal corporation in debt," he said. Meanwhile, talks between the two parties are underway for a tie-up for th

Tripura in 2025 becomes fully literate as BJP-TMP feud, border risks loom

Tripura was declared the third fully literate state in the country, after Mizoram and Goa, while the simmering tussle between ruling allies BJP and Tipra Motha Party (TMP) and security threats from Bangladesh were major issues in the state this year. The state's literacy rate reached 95.6 per cent. The Ministry of Education, as per UNESCO guidelines, has set the 95 per cent mark for declaring a state fully literate. The northeastern state witnessed an internal feud between TMP and BJP, with workers from both sides injured in attacks and counter-attacks in the run-up to the upcoming elections to the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC). TMP supremo and former royal scion Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma reiterated his party's stand on the implementation of the Tiprasa Accord and adoption of Roman script for Kokborok language, spoken by the tribals in the state. He had also warned that the party would fight the TTAADC polls, due in April next year, alone if ...

Rekha Gupta govt to enter 2026 with several key poll promises pending

The BJP, which returned to power in Delhi after 27 years, ends 2025 with parts of its poll promises fulfilled, leaving Chief Minister Rekha Gupta with her work cut out for many months to come. After ending the decade-long AAP rule earlier in the year, the BJP-led dispensation moved quickly to roll out the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme in the capital. The recent launch of Atal Canteen offering subsidised meals to construction workers, daily wagers, and slum-dwellers at Rs 5 is another poll promise that has been fulfilled. At the same time, the chief minister acknowledged that several headline poll commitments remain on the drawing board. Among the most closely watched promises is the Mahila Samriddhi Yojana, under which the BJP pledged a monthly assistance of Rs 2,500 to economically weaker women. LPG cylinders at Rs 500 and two free refills annually, during Holi and Diwali, are still hankered after by the city residents. Governance outreach was something that the Gupta

Pitroda exposed Cong's link to anti-India global nexus: BJP on Rahul's trip

The BJP on Saturday alleged that Sam Pitroda has "inadvertently" exposed the real face of the Congress by "revealing" that it is part of an "anti-India" global alliance and Rahul Gandhi often visits abroad to participate in their events, hoping his party would return to power at the Centre with their support. Referring to Pitroda's remarks in his latest interview with a news channel, BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi alleged that the Congress overseas department chairperson revealed that the party holds an "official position" in the Global Progressive Alliance (GPA) with Gandhi being part of its presidium. "Rahul Gandhi's traditional family advisor and architect of his mindset and psychology, Sam Pitroda, in an interview yesterday, inadvertently exposed the real face of the Congress. He said the Congress is a part of the Global Progressive Alliance and Rahul Gandhi had recently visited Germany to take part in its meeting," the BJP Rajya Sabha MP told a press conference at .

SIR vote deletions backfired, triggered BJP infighting: Akhilesh Yadav

Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday claimed that the removal of 2.89 crore voters' names in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) campaign has sparked an infight within the ruling BJP. Yadav's remark came in the wake of a meeting of BJP MLAs from the Brahman community in Lucknow. "While the apparent reason for the infighting within the Uttar Pradesh BJP may be a 'rebel meeting,' the real reason is that news has already spread among BJP MLAs that 2.89 crore voters' names have been removed in the SIR," he said in a statement. On December 23, BJP MLAs from the Brahmin community met at the Lucknow residence of party MLA from Kushinagar district, P N Pathak. Around 40 MLAs from Purvanchal and Bundelkhand participated in this meeting, which stoked types of speculations. "According to the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, who has 'one year left' in his term, approximately 85-90 per cent of his own voters have been removed from the list. The political mathematical anal

TMC says EC deleted lakhs of voters in West Bengal to benefit BJP

The Trinamool Congress on Saturday accused the Election Commission (EC) of deleting the names of lakhs of legitimate voters from the electoral rolls under the SIR exercise to help the BJP ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly polls. A TMC delegation consisting of ministers Chandrima Bhattacharya, Sashi Panja, Aroop Biswas, Manas Bhuniya, Malay Ghatak met Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal at his office and submitted a memorandum listing their grievances. "We are seeing different sets of rules and practices being applied in Bengal compared to other states. In the name of cross-checking absent, shifted and duplicate' voters, the EC has omitted around 58 lakh genuine voters by branding them as unmapped'," Bhattacharya told reporters after the meeting. She alleged that the action seems to be part of the bigger gameplan to delete two crore voters' names from the electoral rolls in order to punish the people of the state for rejecting the BJP repeatedly. Biswas alleged that the mobil

VV Rajesh elected as BJP's first mayor of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation

BJP leader V V Rajesh was elected mayor of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation on Friday after the saffron party won 50 of the 101 wards, marking its first-ever victory in a municipal corporation in Kerala. In the mayoral election on Friday, Rajesh secured 51 votes, including the support of an Independent councillor. P Sivaji of the LDF received 29 votes, while UDF candidate K S Sabarinathan secured 19 votes, of which two were later declared invalid. Senior BJP leaders, including state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar, were present at the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation office to witness Rajesh being elected mayor of the state capital. Former Union minister V Muraleedharan and former BJP state president K Surendran were also present. Rajesh later took the oath as the mayor of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation. The BJP wrested control of the Corporation after nearly four decades of LDF rule. In Kollam Corporation, UDF's A K Hafeez was elected mayor, while in Kochi Corporation, UDF counc

Delhi CM Rekha Gupta inaugurates Atal Canteens, announces welfare plans

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Wednesday paid tribute to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his birth centenary, and announced that "Atal Canteens" are being inaugurated to provide subsidised meals to the poor. Speaking at the inauguration event, Gupta said 45 Atal Canteens are being inaugurated in line with the government's election promise, while work on the remaining 55 will be completed soon. "Under the scheme, labourers, needy people and families living in jhuggi clusters will get a full meal for Rs 5. The idea is to ensure that people eat with dignity," she said, adding that lakhs of residents would benefit from the initiative. Recalling Vajpayee's contribution to Delhi's infrastructure, the chief minister said the former prime minister flagged off the Delhi Metro on December 24, 2002, when Kolkata was the only city with a metro system. She said the capital now has a 394-km metro network, which was expanded further under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Gupta als

Gadkari flags off 'Atal Run-2025' on Vajpayee's 101st birth anniversary

The run comprised two races for men and women, two for under-16, and the highlight, the Atal Run

No link between PM's 'global talk, local walk' on environment: Congress

The Congress on Thursday claimed that over 90 per cent of the Aravallis will not be protected under the redefinition of the hills and will open them up for mining and other activities. In a post on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said there is no connection between Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "global talk and local walk" when it comes to environmental concerns. He also accused the government of launching a determined assault on ecological balance by weakening environmental protection laws and loosening pollution norms. Under the new definition, an "Aravalli Hill" is a landform with an elevation of at least 100 metres above its local surrounding terrain and an "Aravalli Range" is a cluster of two or more such hills within 500 metres of each other. "The Modi Sarkar is now going to protect only those Aravalli hills that are at a height of more than 100 metres. According to the Forest Survey of India's data that is authoritative, only 8.7 per cent of the Aravalli hills .

Prez Murmu, PM Modi pay tributes to Vajpayee at his memorial 'Sadaiv Atal'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday paid tributes to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his 101st birth anniversary and said his personality, work and leadership will continue to be a guiding light for the all-around development of the nation. Vajpayee served as prime minister of India thrice between 1996 and 2004. "My respectful tributes to the former prime minister, Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ji, who resides in the hearts of all countrymen, on his birth anniversary," Modi wrote on X in Hindi. He said Vajpayee dedicated his entire life to good governance and nation-building. "He will always be remembered as a brilliant orator as well as a spirited poet. His personality, work and leadership will continue to be a guiding light for the all-around development of the nation," the PM said. Modi said the birth anniversary of Vajpayee is a special occasion for everyone to draw inspiration from his life. He said the former prime minister's conduct, grace, ideologic

Thackerays' alliance a survival tactic, no impact on BMC polls: Fadnavis

Two "dynasts" have come together fearing defeat in the upcoming BMC polls, the BJP said on Wednesday, after Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray announced an alliance of their parties. Addressing a joint press conference in Mumbai along with his cousin Raj Thackeray, Uddhav Thackeray said the two parties have come together to stay together. Reacting to the development, BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari said, "Two dynasts have come together. They have forged an alliance between their parties fearing defeat. The people of Mumbai want to choose development under the NDA-BJP." This clearly shows that they have come together to save their "deposits" from being forfeited in the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, he said. "The people of Mumbai are with the NDA-BJP and they will choose development," Bhandari said. The BMC polls are scheduled to be held on January 15.

Rahul Gandhi accuses BJP of empowering monopolies, burdening small traders

He pledged his full support to the Vaishya community, calling it a fight against the BJP's "feudal mindset"

PM Modi to inaugurate 'Rashtra Prerna Sthal' in Lucknow on Thursday

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday will inaugurate a landmark national memorial and inspirational complex in Lucknow that will host, among others, statues of BJP ideologues Syama Prasad Mookerjee, Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya and former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. December 25 is the 101st birth anniversary of Vajpayee. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, on 25th December 2025, on the occasion of 101st birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee. At around 2:30 PM, the Prime Minister will inaugurate Rashtra Prerna Sthal and also address a public gathering on the occasion," an official statement said. Driven by the vision of Prime Minister Modi to honour the legacy of luminaries of independent India, the Rashtra Prerna Sthal will serve as a tribute to the life, ideals, and enduring legacy of one of India's most revered statesmen, whose leadership left a profound impact on the nation's democratic, political, and

BJP has completely disincentivised manufacturing in India: Rahul Gandhi

Gandhi said the automobile major was grappling with the shift from internal combustion engines to electric mobility, a transition he said was reshaping industries worldwide

Maharashtra civic polls: BJP dominates 5 divisions, wins over 2,400 seats

The ruling BJP has emerged as the most dominant force in the recently-held municipal council and nagar panchayat elections in Maharashtra, securing the highest number of seats in five out of the state's six administrative divisions, accounting for 30 to 50 per cent of the seats in most regions. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 2,431 seats, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena 1,025, and Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) 966, according to the data released by the State Election Commission (SEC). The three parties are part of the ruling Mahayuti alliance. Among the opposition parties, the Congress won 824 seats, while its Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies - NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT), won 256 and 244 seats, respectively. The only exception was the Konkan division, where the Shiv Sena, led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, outperformed the BJP. Of the 647 seats decided in Konkan, the Shinde-led Sena won 229 seats, or about 35.4 per cent, while the BJP followed with 192 ...

Assam's West Karbi Anglong hit by violence amid eviction protests: Details

Violent protests in Assam's West Karbi Anglong over demands to remove alleged encroachers saw houses damaged, a BJP leader's ancestral home torched, and prohibitory orders imposed to curb unrest

Rahul Gandhi slams BJP, says party proposing elimination of Constitution

Addressing a gathering at the Hertie School in Berlin, Germany, Rahul Gandhi alleged that the Centre has ;weaponised' investigating agencies

Arunachal resilient amid diplomatic row; sees NDA's win in civic polls

Arunachal Pradesh found itself navigating a series of challenges in 2025, ranging from a diplomatic row involving an Arunachalee woman's harassment at Shanghai airport and protests over a power project to natural disasters, underscoring the resilience of the country's easternmost frontier state. The year also witnessed the NDA's dominance in the political sphere with the BJP winning a majority of zilla parishad and gram panchayat constituencies and emerging victorious in civic elections. The BJP bagged 170 out of 245 zilla parishad member (ZPM) seats, including 59 uncontested ones, establishing its clear dominance at the district level. The party won 14 of the 20 wards in the Itanagar Municipal Corporation elections, while it got two wards, and its partner Peoples' Party of Arunachal (PPA) secured five in the Pasighat Municipal Council. The opposition Congress failed to open its account in both civic bodies. The year's most-talked-about episode was the ordeal of Pema Wangjom Thongdo

Grassroots outreach, development vision helped BJP win local polls: Chavan

Maharashtra BJP president Ravindra Chavan said the saffron party's grassroots outreach across the state and development-oriented vision helped it emerge victorious in the local bodies elections. The Mahayuti alliance of the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP on Sunday swept the elections to 288 municipal councils and nagar panchayats, winning 207 posts of presidents in the local bodies. The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi was restricted to a collective tally of 44. The BJP won 117 posts of municipal presidents, Shiv Sena won 53, and the NCP won 37 posts. The Congress bagged 28, the NCP (SP) seven, and Shiv Sena (UBT) nine. Addressing a party meeting in Kalyan town of Thane district on Sunday night, Chavan said, "Once the elections were announced, BJP workers went door to door, informing citizens about the welfare schemes of the Central and state governments. They earned people's trust, and this dedication has resulted in a decisive victory." People endorsed the development-oriented vision of Pri