Page 10 - Opposition

Lok Sabha: Which parties are members of the INDIA bloc & the seats they won

Lok Sabha elections 2024: The Congress party secured 99 seats in the general elections, while its allies won the remaining 135. See full list of INDIA bloc winners here

Will serve as active Oppn for Northeast Delhi: Cong's Kanhaiya Kumar

Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar on Tuesday congratulated his BJP rival Manoj Tiwari on his hat-trick win from the Northeast Delhi Lok Sabha seat and said the Congress will "play the role of an active and positive opposition" for the residents there. Tiwari defeated Kumar by a margin of 1,38,778 votes, according to the Election Commission. The BJP drew a clean sweep in all the seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi, forcing the INDIA bloc partners Congress and AAP to draw a blank. In a social media post on X, Kumar wrote in hindi, "Many congratulations and best wishes to my opposition candidate Manoj Tiwari for being elected MP for the third time. I hope that he will live up to the expectations of the people." "The people of North East Delhi have given INDIA bloc the mandate to play the role of opposition. We will follow their orders! We will play the role of an active and positive opposition for the people of the area and will continue to raise the voice for their demands and issues," Kumar

CEC Kumar dares Oppn to give proof of attempts to influence poll process

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Monday dared the opposition to share evidence of allegations that returning officers and district magistrates were influenced to vitiate the poll process so the panel could take action against them. The opposition should also tell the Commission about those trying to influence the poll process before the counting of votes begins, Kumar said at a press conference. He was flanked by Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and S S Sandhu. "You cannot spread a rumour and bring everyone under a cloud of suspicion," Kumar said. The Commission had made preparations to deal with any foreign attempt to influence the poll process but these allegations have come from within the country itself, he said in an apparent dig at the opposition. Taking exception to allegations that district magistrates were being influenced, the CEC said, "Those levelling allegations should say which DM was influenced and we will punish them. They should tell us before the ...

INDIA bloc leaders meet to discuss strategy for counting day, TMC skips

Senior leaders of the INDIA bloc met here on Saturday to discuss their strategy for the counting of votes on June 4, even as the TMC and PDP skipped the meeting. Senior leaders of the Congress, Samajwadi Party, CPI-M, CPI, DMK, JMM, AAP, RJD, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (Sharad Pawar) met at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's residence on Saturday afternoon and held discussions, even as the last phase of polling was underway. TMC chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had already said they would not attend the meeting as there were elections in the state, while PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti did not attend the meeting due to personal reasons. "I may not go as my mom has undergone an eye surgery," she had told PTI. Opposition leaders who attended the meeting included Sharad Pawar, Akhilesh Yadav, Tejashwi Yadav, Anil Desai, Sitaram Yechury, Arvind Kejriwal, Bhagwat Mann, Sanjay Singh and Raghav Chadha, Champai Soren, Kalpana Soren, T R Baalu, Farooq Abdullah, D Raja and Muk

INDIA bloc leaders to meet in Delhi today; TMC and PDP likely to skip

Top leaders of the INDIA bloc will meet here on Saturday to discuss their strategy for the counting of votes on June 4, even as the TMC and PDP are set to skip the meeting. Senior leaders of the Congress, CPI-M, CPI, DMK, AAP, RJD, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (Sharad Pawar) will hold discussions at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's residence this afternoon. TMC chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has already said they will not attend the meeting as there are elections in the state, while PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti is likely to skip the meeting. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann are also likely to attend the meeting, besides senior Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and K C Venugopal. DMK supremo and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said party leader T R Baalu will attend the meeting. "June 4th will mark the beginning of a new dawn for India. In today's meeting of INDIA bloc leaders, DMK will be represented by o

Opposition doing politics on PM Modi's mediation exercise, alleges BJP

The BJP on Friday accused opposition parties of doing politics on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meditation in Kanyakumari, saying they understand neither India nor Indianness. BJP spokesperson and MP Sudhanshu Trivedi said Modi lives the cultural and traditional ethos of Indian nation which is represented in its temples in different parts of the country and even outside in a place like Balochistan. The opposition can never understand this because it seeks to eradicate Sanatan Dharma and fight 'Shakti', he said. Opposition parties hate India's traditions, temples and the exercise to rejuvenate its holy places, he alleged, adding that they also hate a leader engaged in a silent meditation, Trivedi said. But they have a tradition of offering tributes at the tomb of Mughal king Babur, he said, naming Jawaharlal Nehru and Rahul Gandhi. They also held iftars in which neither the host nor the guests kept fast, Trivedi said.

Decentralisation reality vs rhetoric

Both the ruling party and the Opposition seek to empower local bodies, but rectifying a crucial 'birth defect' in decentralisation is the first step for progress

Army does not want Agniveer scheme, INDIA bloc will throw it: Rahul

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said the Agniveer scheme will be scrapped and thrown into dustbin if the INDIA bloc comes to power as he slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "turning Hindustan ke jawan into labourers". In his first election meeting in Haryana for the Lok Sabha polls, the former Congress president also attacked Modi over the issue of farmers. Slamming the BJP government over the Agniveer scheme, he said, "This is Modi's scheme and not Army's scheme, Army does not want it". "When the INDIA bloc forms government, we will throw Agniveer scheme into dustbin," he said at the rally held under the Mahendragarh-Bhiwani Lok Sabha seat. India's borders, he said, are secured by the country's youth and "There is patriotism in DNA of our youth". "Modi has turned Hindustan ke jawan into labourers," he alleged. Further attacking the BJP government, he said, "They say there will be two types of martyrs - one normal jawan and officer, who will get pension, martyr sta

INDIA bloc doesn't have any leader who can become PM, claims Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday launched a blistering attack on the "corrupt INDI alliance" and said the opposition bloc doesn't have any leader who can become Prime Minister. While addressing a rally at Ghatal, Shah said the INDIA bloc leaders just want their dynasty to move ahead and "neither have any leaders to lead the country nor have any intention for the development of the nation." Shah, while referring to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir said "PoK is part of India and we will take it". "The INDI alliance doesn't have any leaders. The INDI alliance wants five PMs in five years. The INDI alliances neither have leaders nor have any intention for the development of the nation," he said. The BJP leader said the ongoing parliamentary elections are about choosing between "leaders of dynastic politics or honest leader Narendra Modi" who considers the country as his family. "Sharad Pawar wants his daughter to be the chief minister. Mamata Banerjee wants her nephew to succeed he

Nation cannot move forward with INDIA bloc's sins, alleges PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday alleged that the INDIA bloc stood for corruption, appeasement politics and a "perverted anti-Sanatan mindset", all of which would receive a "big blow" when the Lok Sabha poll results are announced on June 4. Addressing an election rally in the East Champaran Lok Sabha constituency of Bihar, the PM also launched indirect attacks on leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav, who he said were "born with silver spoons". "The nation cannot move forward with the sins of the INDIA bloc, which stands for corruption, appeasement politics, represents the 'tukde-tukde' gang and a perverted mindset that heaps scorn on Sanatan Dharma," he said. "This is the reason why the INDIA bloc was exhausted in the very first phase of the elections. In the subsequent phases, it was battered. In the remaining two phases, the trend will continue and on June 4 when votes are counted, the results will come as a big blow to the intentions of the oppositi

PM unleashing hate speech against Muslims from every available forum: Oppn

The opposition on Monday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "never uttered a word against minorities" remark, saying he is "lying" as he is "unleashing hate speech" against Muslims from every available forum. In an interview with PTI, Modi said he has never uttered a word against minorities, and the BJP has "not just today but never" acted against them. He, however, made it clear that he is not ready to accept anyone as "special citizens". Reacting to the prime minister's remarks, CPI general secretary D Raja said, "It is completely lie. Modi knows how they (BJP) have been talking about Muslims. Who spoke about mangalsutra, mothers giving births to more children? Muslims and other minorities have been disrespected and deprived of many of their due rights." The BJP-RSS have been pursuing a "sinister design" of undermining the minorities and ridiculing them, Raja alleged. Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal said there is no talk of education and health which will take us to 'Viksit ...

LS polls Phase 5: Mumbai heads to vote today as Oppn gets renewed boost

Elections in Maharashtra state, where Mumbai is located, have been fairly predictable until 2019 with the regional Shiv Sena party dominating in alliance with the BJP

Jobs, cronyism, and welfare

A lacklustre campaign throws up some differences in economic strategy

INDIA alliance in electoral fray to create instability, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday targeted the opposition INDIA bloc, saying they are in the fray to create instability while the BJP-NDA alliance is dedicated to national interest. Asserting that his government is going to score a hat-trick, Modi said in the new government, he has to take many big decisions for the poor, youth, women and farmers, and for that he has come here to seek the blessings of the people of Barabanki and Mohanlalganj. Addressing an election rally, Modi said, "June 4 is not far. Today, the whole country and the world knows that the Modi government is going to score a hat-trick". "Today, on one side there is the BJP-NDA alliance dedicated to the national interest and on the other side, the INDI Alliance is in the field to create instability in the country. As the elections progress, these INDI alliance people have started collapsing like a pack of cards," Modi said.

Highlights: PM Modi addresses rally in Bengal, gives 5 guarantees to the state

Latest LIVE updates: Catch all the latest updates related to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally in Bengal here

Cong claims Kharge's helicopter checked in Bihar, says EC targeting Oppn

Rathorre, who is the chief spokesperson of the Congress' Bihar unit, shared a video to claim that chief electoral officer of Bihar is herself monitoring checking of Kharge's helicopter in Samastipur

All Opposition leaders will be behind bars if BJP wins LS polls: Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday said that all opposition leaders, including his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and RJD leader Tejashvi Yadav, will be in jail if the BJP wins the Lok Sabha polls. Addressing his party workers at the AAP headquarters here, Kejriwal asserted the BJP will not return to power and said the INDIA bloc will form the government on June 4. "In last 20 hours after release from jail, I talked to poll experts and people and got to know the BJP is not going to form the government," said Kejriwal. "The AAP will be part of the government at the Centre. We will get full statehood for Delhi," he added. Kejriwal charged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is asking for votes for Union Home Minister Amit Shah. "These people ask INDIA bloc about their face. I ask BJP who will be their PM? Modi ji is turning 75 on September 17 next year. He had made the rule that people aged 75 will be retired. They retired

Election Commission's credibility at all-time low: Kharge to INDIA partners

Lok Sabha elections 2024: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge writes a letter to INDIA alliance leaders raising concerns on voting data discrepancies and registered voters' list by the ECI

INDIA bloc PM will be first among equals, all parties will join: Tharoor

Opposition parties, campaigning together or against each other, will join hands after the Lok Sabha polls, says Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, asserting that the people will get a prime minister who is first among equals and listens to others with an INDIA bloc coalition government. Including the Trinamool Congress in his argument on opposition parties getting together after the day of reckoning on June 4, Tharoor said in an interaction with PTI editors at the news agency's headquarters that a coalition government is nothing to be afraid of. The growth performance of the Indian economy has been better under such dispensations than under single party governments, he said. In his view, this is an election for "change" and as of now the BJP has "lost its grip" on the narrative. The Congress Working Committee (CWC) member also defended the party's decision to not attend the 'pran pratishtha' ceremony at the Ram temple in Ayodhya, saying it was right to turn down the invitation as it w

AAP event seeks votes for INDIA nominees, starts signature campaign

The AAP on Thursday held several public meetings across Delhi, urging the people to vote for the INDIA bloc candidates in the May 25 Lok Sabha polls in the city and launched a signature campaign against the arrest of party chief Arvind Kejriwal. Two whiteboards were put up at Lajpat Nagar for the people to write their messages for Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal who is lodged in Tihar Jail till May 7. He was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21 in a money laundering case linked to the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy. AAP Jangpura MLA Praveen Kumar said the signature campaign will be conducted in different parts of the city to show the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that the people of Delhi love their chief minister. "We have started this campaign from here and will take it to different areas. We will collect these signatures and send them to BJP to show how much the people of Delhi love Kejriwal," Kumar said. Slogans of 'Jail ka jawab vote se denge' and 'Arvind ...