Page 4 - United Opposition

INDIA bloc leaders to meet in Kharge's chamber for Winter Session strategy

With the Parliament's Winter Session set to begin on Monday, the leaders of various opposition parties of the INDIA bloc would meet in the chamber of Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge to chalk out their strategy in both the Houses. Sources said that the INDIA alliance partners' parliamentary leaders would meet on Monday morning in Kharge's chamber in the Parliament House. The opposition leaders have been holding meetings during the Parliament sessions to evolve a joint strategy in both the Houses to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government. The Winter Session of Parliament is likely to start on a stormy note as the expulsion of Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra is on the cards on the first day itself. This is the last full session ahead of next year's general elections and the BJP would like to clear all pending legislations during the Winter Session. Among the bills pending before the Parliament include the new bills to replace the IPC, Crim

Election results signal need for Oppn's INDIA bloc to redraw strategy

The Congress on Sunday suffered a near wipeout in the Hindi heartland as it lost 3-1 to the BJP in the assembly polls, signalling the need to redraw its strategy for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The party was trounced in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh and is now left with only Himachal Pradesh in the north. It is ruling in only three states on its own and is in power in Bihar and Jharkhand as a junior partner in alliance with regional parties. However, its victory in Telangana gave a boost to its consolidation in southern India where it is in power on its own in Karnataka. Congress' loss in key states has also weakened the grand old party's position in the INDIA bloc where equations are set to change, as other opposition parties would challenge its position as the fulcrum of the alliance. While Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav had lashed out at the Congress over refusal to share seats in Madhya Pradesh, more rumblings within the opposition bloc have begun after the

Won't be surprised if INDIA blames EVMs for polls outcome: Ajit Pawar

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Sunday said he would not be surprised if some people cry foul and put the blame on EVMs for the assembly polls outcome, as counting was underway in four states. The BJP was racing towards power in the Hindi heartland states of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan and had a distinct edge in Chhattisgarh while the Congress was poised to oust the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) in Telangana. Speaking to reporters, Pawar said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's work was being appreciated by the people. "I will not be surprised if people from the INDIA alliance start blaming the EVMs (electronic voting machines) for the results," he said. It would be like crying foul, he added. When I was in government in the past, my opinion at the time was that tampering with EVMs was impossible. Just one person cannot tamper with the EVMs on such a large scale. You need many people to do it, and when a number of people get involved in such a practice, it would have ..

INDIA bloc to hold protests against BJD, BJP in Odisha's Rayagada, Balasore

The opposition bloc INDIA will hold demonstrations in Rayagada and Balaore next month to protest against the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre and the BJD dispensation in the state for "failing" to fulfil promises they had made for the people of Odisha, a Congress leader said on Saturday. A meeting of all anti-BJD and anti-BJP parties was held here on Friday evening to decide on protest rallies, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Sarat Pattanayak said. "The Naveen Patnaik government in the state and the Centre have failed to deliver on promises they have made for the people of Odisha. Both the BJD and the BJP have made false promises. We are going to hold 'Janakrosh' rallies at Rayagada and Balasore on November 8 and 15 respectively, Pattanayak told PTI. The OPCC president also said the opposition bloc INDIA would hold demonstrations in other parts of the state in the coming days. He alleged that Odisha became "a poor state" under the BJD regime as the governmen

Fully committed to INDIA bloc: Kejriwal after Congress MLA arrest in Punjab

The Punjab Congress has been severly critical of the Bhagwant Mann government over the arrest of Khaira alleging political vendetta by the state govt

'BJP rewards hate':Opposition slam BJP for giving Bidhuri poll duty in Tonk

Opposition leaders have criticised the ruling party for giving Ramesh Bidhuri poll duty in Tonk district of Rajasthan after he made offensive remarks against BSP MP Danish Ali in Parliament

Main aim is to strengthen INDIA: Nitish on speculations of return to NDA

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday rubbished speculations in a section of the media about his party JD(U)'s return to the BJP-led NDA, with which it snapped ties around a year ago, and said his prime concern was to strengthen opposition INDIA bloc. Responding to reporters' queries on the speculations, Kumar said, "Kya faltu baat hai" (what rubbish!). The JD(U) leader, who is a key figure in the anti-BJP INDIA coalition, also voiced his disapproval of party colleagues talking about him having "all qualities for making a good PM". "I have already told my party colleagues not to make such statements. My only wish is to strengthen the unity of the INDIA alliance. I am working only in this direction," he said. Bihar Assembly Deputy Speaker and senior JD(U) leader Maheshwar Hazari had said that no one is more capable of becoming the PM candidate of the INDIA alliance than Nitish Kumar. On a question on possibility of cabinet expansion, Kumar put the ball in his deputy Tejashwi

BJP struggles in Rajasthan due to lack of public connection: Sachin Pilot

Congress leader Sachin Pilot criticises the central government for playing 'hide and seek' with Women's Reservation Bill, says there was already consensus

INDIA bloc to meet ahead of discussion on Women's Quota Bill in Lok Sabha

The meeting will be held at the office of Rajya Sabha leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge in Parliament

LIVE: Women's Reservation Bill cleared in key cabinet meeting, says report

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Hum taiyyar hai, says Nitish on possibility of LS polls being advanced

, Claiming the ruling BJP at the Centre was planning to bring forward Lok Sabha elections, Bihar Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar on Monday said, "'Humlog har samay taiyyar hai (We are always ready)". The JD (U) leader, who had snapped ties with BJP a year ago and has played an instrumental role in bringing various opposition parties together in forming the INDIA bloc, also asserted that the multi-party alliance was 'intact', dispelling apprehensions of internal rift. I have been saying that the NDA government at the Centre is planning to hold early Lok Sabha polls. Humlog Har Samai Tayyar Hai (We are always ready) ... Let them hold it early, Kumar told reporters here. The CM made the remark here in reply to questions from journalists who sought his views on the possibility of advancing Lok Sabha polls by the Center. Kumar said, We all are united and intact. We have been working for the people and will continue to serve people. We have done a lot of developmental work in Bihar. From ..

Sheep, goats cannot fight lion: Maha CM Shinde on Oppn targetting PM Modi

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday said opposition parties only think about defeating Prime Minister Narendra Modi but "sheep and goats" cannot put up a fight against a lion in a jungle. Speaking to a Hindi news channel from Shrinagar, Shinde said, I will not call opposition vultures but sheep and goats cannot come together to put up a fight against a lion in a jungle. A lion is always a lion and he would rule the jungle. When asked about the opposition parties coming together to challenge the BJP-led NDA alliance, the Shiv Sena leader said, The opposition only thinks about defeating Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I do not see anywhere the opposition is putting up a fight. Maharashtra sends 48 members to Lok Sabha, the second highest in the country after Uttar Pradesh which elects 80 parliamentarians. Commenting on the status of the National Democratic Alliance in Maharashtra, Shinde said, After Ajit Pawar decided to join us, my government (BJP-Shiv Sena-Ajit Pawar .

INDIA announces boycott of shows of 14 TV anchors, BJP calls it 'emergency'

The opposition alliance INDIA on Thursday announced that it will boycott shows of 14 television anchors on several platforms, a decision the BJP compared with the Emergency. The News Broadcasters & Digital Association (NBDA) said the boycott sets a dangerous precedent and goes against the ethos of democracy. The media committee of the bloc took the decision to boycott the programmes of these journalists and not send their representatives on debates hosted by them on such channels or platforms. "Pursuant to the decision taken by INDIA Coordination Committee in its meeting on September 13, 2023, the INDIA parties will not send their representatives on the shows and events of the following anchors," a statement from the media committee of the opposition bloc said while listing the names of such journalists. Justifying the action, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera, who is a part of the committee of opposition parties that took the decision in their virtual meeting, said some channels .

INDIA bloc's 1st rally in Bhopal next month; decision on seat-sharing soon

Opposition INDIA bloc on Wednesday decided to hold their first joint public meeting in Bhopal in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh in the first week of October, and said the constituent parties will start seat-sharing talks at the earliest. They said they will raise issues related to rising prices, unemployment, corruption and caste census. This was decided at the first meeting of the coordination committee of the INDIA grouping which was held at the residence of NCP supremo Sharad Pawar here. Twelve leaders of the 14-member panel were present in the meeting that took place under the shadow of a row over DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin's remark on the Sanatan Dharma. Congress General Secretary K C Venugopal, who is a member of the panel, said Abhishek Banerjee of the TMC could not attend the meeting due to the summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate. He alleged the ED summons was a result of the "vendetta politics" of the BJP and the prime minister. "The coordination committee decided

INDIA Coordination Committee meeting: Special Parl Session to be discussed

The first meeting of the Coordination Committee of the INDIA alliance will be held on Wednesday at Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar's residence in New Delhi

Pull out their tongues: Union min Shekhawat defends Sanatana Dharma

Rajasthan minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat spoke about Sanatana Dharma during election rally

Rajasthan elections: INDIA bloc shaking Modi, BJP, and RSS, says CM Gehlot

Gehlot calls BJP's Parivartan Yatras a "flop show" while crediting Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge for INDIA bloc formation

INDIA bloc's first Coordination Committee meeting in Delhi on Sep 13: Raut

The names of 13 members have been announced; however, the name of one person is yet to be revealed. The Opposition has yet to choose a convener

INDIA makes additional appointments in newly-formed panels for 2024 polls

Opposition bloc INDIA on Saturday made some additional appointments in some of the committees set up at its Mumbai meeting to get battle-ready for the Lok Sabha polls. The bloc had formed a 14-member coordination-cum-election strategy committee comprising members of various parties. The opposition alliance had also announced a campaign committee with Congress' Gurdeep Singh Sappal, JD(U)'s Sanjay Jha, Anil Desai (Shiv Sena), Sanjay Yadav (RJD), PC Chako (NCP), Champai Soren (JMM), Kiranmoy Nanda (Samajwadi Party), Sanjay Singh (AAP), Arun Kumar (CPI-M), Binoy Vishwam (CPI), Hasnain Masoodi (NC), Shahid Siddiqui (RLD), NK Premachandran (RSP), G Devarajan (AIFB), Ravi Rai (CPI-ML), Thirumavalan (VCK), KM Kadar Moidin (IUML) and Jose K Mani (KC-M) as its members. The TMC was to give a name for the committee later. In a statement released on Saturday, the names of Tiruchi Siva of the DMK and Mehboob Beg of the PDP were added to the campaign committee. While the names of Congress' Pawa

INDIA bloc to hold country-wide programmes on Gandhi Jayanti: Nitish Kumar

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday said that the opposition coalition INDIA will be holding country-wide programmes on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti on October 2. Without revealing details of the proposed programmes, the leader of the JD(U), a constituent of INDIA, said that a decision in this regard was taken at the just concluded conclave of the opposition alliance in Mumbai. Kumar claimed that the BJP-led NDA was rattled by the unity of the opposition and, therefore, the central government has convened later this month a special session of Parliament, the agenda for which has not been revealed. We have taken a resolution that the INDIA alliance will celebrate Gandhi Jayanti across the country. The INDIA alliance has rattled the ruling BJP which has forced the Central government to explore the possibility of holding assembly and national elections simultaneously. The move betrays panic in the BJP after they saw the unity of opposition parties under the INDIA coalition