National Politics

Congress must first try some humility if it wants to best the BJP

There can be no challenge to the BJP across India without a Congress revival. The Modi party is growing - almost entirely at the cost of the Congress

The importance of being Nitish: Absence from rallies keeps Bihar guessing

Nitish Kumar's absence from Narendra Modi's recent rallies in Bihar has raised eyebrows. Archis Mohan's ground report looks at why it's still too early to write off the Bihar CM

BJP doesn't need crutches, runs on own strength in Maharashtra: Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said the BJP doesn't need crutches and runs on its own strength in Maharashtra, and asked the party cadre to ensure that the Opposition is wiped out in the ensuing local body polls. We have proven that the politics of family-run parties will no longer work in this country. It is the politics of performance that will lead the nation forward, Shah said, addressing party workers after laying the foundation stone of Maharashtra BJP's new office building near Churchgate station in south Mumbai. Modi ji is the best example of this. A child born in a humble tea seller's home rose, through his dedication, sacrifice, and hard work, to become the prime minister of India, Shah said. The BJP doesn't run on crutches in Maharashtra but on its own strength, Shah said. Referring to the double engine' government of the BJP at the Centre and in the state, Shah said, the party should also win the local body polls, scheduled later this year. Work so hard that ..

When 80 km is too long: Darbhanga to Janakpur, two tales of stalled change

Like in Darbhanga, where people are not happy with their lot but have made their peace with it, in Nepal too, structural change seems a bridge too far

Obituary: Vijay Kumar Malhotra, Delhi BJP's last link with Partition

In the 2004 Lok Sabha polls, Malhotra was the only BJP candidate to retain his Lok Sabha seat, with the Congress winning the remaining six

Vedanta's donations to BJP nearly quadruples to ₹97 cr in FY25: Report

Billionaire Anil Agarwal's mining conglomerate Vedanta Ltd nearly quadrupled its donations to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), contributing Rs 97 crore in the fiscal year ending March 2025, according to its latest annual report. Under "Miscellaneous Expenses', Vedanta detailed the political donations as well as the management and brand fee expenses it paid to its parent, London-listed Vedanta Resources Plc. Political donations totalled Rs 157 crore in 2024-25, up from Rs 97 crore in the previous financial year. While donations to the BJP soared, those to the opposition Congress were cut to just Rs 10 crore. The donations in fiscal year April 2024 to March 2025 (FY25) included "contributions to Bharatiya Janata Party of Rs 97 crore (Rs 26 crore in fiscal year ended March 31, 2024), Biju Janata Dal of Rs 25 crore (March 31, 2024: Rs 15 crore), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha of Rs 20 crore (March 31, 2024: Rs 5 crore) and All India Congress Committee of Rs 10 crore (March 31, 2024: Rs

No success in succession: Cong infighting may delay DK Shivakumar's rise

There are so many elements in the mix, including cross-party linkages. The relationship between former chief minister B S Yediyurappa and Mr Siddaramaiah is a complex, many-layered one

Farm export-import policy must balance grower, consumer interests: Chouhan

This year, rabi production has been good & overall food grain production in 2024-25 is almost 21.6 million tonnes more than what it was last year. We have touched a record high in wheat, Chouhan said

Will 2026 Census-based delimitation shrink South India's voice in LS?

With delimitation tied to the 2026 Census, southern states risk losing seats despite leading in population control and contributing heavily to the economy

Nainar Nagendran set to be next TN BJP prez, Annamalai for national role

BJP legislator from Tamil Nadu's Tirunelveli constituency, Nainar Nagendran is all set to become the next state chief of the BJP, succeeding K Annamalai, who is now all set for a national role that seems to be an apparent reward for his work in the Dravidian heartland. BJP senior and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in the city to review the party's functioning and also discuss alliance related matters ahead of 2026 state polls, said Annamalai had made "commendable accomplishments." "The Tamil Nadu BJP has received a nomination for the post of state president only from Shri @NainarBJP Ji. As the President of the Tamil Nadu BJP unit, Shri @annamalai_k Ji has made commendable accomplishments. Whether it is carrying the policies of PM Shri @narendramodi Ji to people or the programs of the party from village to village, Annamalai Ji's contribution has been unprecedented." "The BJP will leverage Annamalai Ji's organizational skills in the party's national framework," Shah said in a social

Ex-Cong leader Ashwani Kumar urges party to reflect, correct past errors

Former Congress leader Ashwani Kumar said on Sunday that the party must analyse why its appeal is shrinking and show willingness to correct its past mistakes. In an interview with PTI ahead of the AICC session at Ahmedabad, the former law minister said the party leadership must "invest its workers and leaders with dignity". Stressing that the party cannot be written off after a streak of poor performances at the polls, he cautioned the Congress against forming alliances that are ideologically unsustainable. He said the Congress party has given outstanding leadership to the nation over the years and has preserved the idea of India as an inclusive and secular republic. It is for the present leadership of the Congress party, however, to prove its mettle once again by establishing its credibility as a real challenger to the present dispensation, he said. "I have always believed that you cannot read the obituary of any political party or for that matter any political leader. It is of .

Sarojini Naidu's 146th birth anniversary: 10 facts on Nightingale of India

This year marks the 146th anniversary of Sarojini Naidu's birth, on February 13. She was dubbed the "Nightingale of India" for her poems and is remembered as a woman of substance

Former PM Manmohan Singh passes away: Tributes pour in from all quarters

The former prime minister passed away after a brief hospitalisation on December 26 at Aiims Delhi

From Sitaram Yechury to Rohit Bal, noted personalities who died in 2024

While Ratan Tata and Shashi Ruia's deaths were a big loss to the business world, stalwarts like Sitaram Yechury and Natwar Singh left behind a big void in the national politics

South Korea's acting leader to veto Oppn-sponsored bills, deepen strife

South Korea's acting leader said Thursday he would veto a spate of contentious bills sponsored by the main opposition party, deepening political strife in the wake of parliament's impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol. The ruling and opposition parties have been bickering over how much authority Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, the country's No. 2 official, has assumed since the opposition-controlled National Assembly last Saturday voted to suspend Yoon's presidential powers over his short-lived December 3 martial law. The Constitutional Court is to determine whether to formally dismiss the conservative Yoon as president or reinstate him. Law enforcement authorities are also separately investigating whether Yoon's martial law enforcement amounted to rebellion. Yoon's defence minister, police chief and several other military commanders have already been arrested over the case. The main liberal opposition Democratic Party earlier considered impeaching Han as well for failing to stop Yoo

Changing profile of MLAs: Businessperson, graduate, and postgraduate

Legislative Assemblies across India are ageing. More MLAs are identifying themselves as businesspersons, and their education levels are rising, too. Women representation, however, remains low

Welfare politics in Indian states: Too much, too soon, with too little?

Are welfare state and its agents, the political parties, making such excessive promises, particularly in pre-election years, with undesirable consequences?

Fulfilling poll promises an arduous task for INDIA bloc in Jharkhand

The JMM-led INDIA bloc in Jharkhand had announced guarantees for the people of the state, including transfer payments, in its manifesto

Campaigning ends for first phase of Jharkhand Assembly elections

Forty-three seats go to polls on Wednesday, key constituencies include Saraikella, Ranchi, Jamshedpur (East and West), and Lohardaga

MP Pappu Yadav writes to Amit Shah over 'death threat' from Bishnoi gang

Pappu Yadav allegedly received a death threat from a gang member who warned him to stay clear of matters linked to Salman Khan. Yadav had met Baba Siddique's son Zeeshan after the politician was kille