Kolkata:

Daggers were drawn on the first day of the two-day brainstorming session of the Bengal BJP unit to discuss the reasons behind the party’s dismal performance in the state’s Lok Sabha elections, as several leaders demanded a change of guard and accountability within the state organisation.

The extended session of the state executive committee was held after the party lost three assembly seats to the TMC in last week’s by-polls, marking another disappointment for the BJP following its poor performance in the parliamentary elections, where its tally fell from 18 seats in 2019 to 12.

Speaking to reporters, senior BJP leader and MP Saumitra Khan emphasized the need for a change of leadership in the state organisation.

“There is a need for more accountability and change in the state organisation after our dismal performance. The change is necessary as the people have sent us a message in the state,” he said.

Another senior BJP leader, who preferred to remain anonymous, underscored the urgency to overhaul the state unit after the disappointing electoral results.

“If we want to make our presence felt in the 2026 assembly polls, we must set our house in order as soon as possible. The change in the state unit is the need of the hour. Those who made decisions on behalf of the state unit must accept responsibility and step down,” the leader said.

Echoing Mr Khan’s sentiments, former BJP MP Arjun Singh, who lost from the Barrackpore Lok Sabha seat, admitted the “shortcomings”.

“We must acknowledge the party’s challenges, whether organisational or otherwise, and swiftly address them before the 2026 assembly polls,” he said.

Addressing the opening session of the meeting, BJP state president and Union minister Sukanta Majumdar said the results of the Lok Sabha polls cannot be indicative of the party’s prospects in the state.

He added, “We will discuss the way forward. While our seat tally has dropped to 12 from 18, we need to identify what did not work. We must work hard and counter the onslaught and misrule of the TMC.” Mr Majumdar pointed out that despite the decrease in seats, the results also had positive aspects.

“The BJP may have lost, but that does not mean we are insignificant in Bengal. Despite threats and intimidation, we secured around 39 per cent of the votes. In several wards of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation area, we lead in terms of vote share,” he said.

Speaking at the meeting, Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, who has faced criticism over the party’s state performance, clarified, “I did not oversee the organisation. I am the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, and there has been no instance where I have made remarks against the party.” “Besides, I was not responsible for the organisational aspects of the state unit,” said Mr Adhikari, a key member of the BJP state core committee.

In response, Mr Majumdar later told reporters that the role of organisational prowess in winning an election is not much.

“When a party wins, everyone credits organisational strength, and if it loses, everyone blames organisational strength. This is natural. However, according to political observers, the role of organisational set-up in winning an election is just 10-25 per cent,” he said, adding that Mr Adhikari was a key member of the core committee.

While the party conducted a brainstorming session at the Science City auditorium, a group of party workers, who have formed a grouping named ‘BJP Banchao Mancha’ (Save BJP Platform), staged a sit-in outside the state headquarters in central Kolkata, demanding action against certain state leaders whom they hold responsible for the poor poll performance.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Mumbai:

Resort politics has made a comeback in Maharashtra, as has the possibility of cross-voting and horsetrading, as the state gears up to hold elections for 11 Legislative Council seats on Friday. Riding high after its unexpectedly good performance in the Lok Sabha polls, in which it won 30 of the state’s 48 seats, the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi has fielded three candidates, one more than it has the numbers to elect, necessitating the election.

The Maharashtra Assembly, which has 288 seats, currently has 274 members, meaning that every MLC candidate needs 23 first-preference votes to get elected. The ruling Mahayuti – part of the larger NDA alliance – which consists of the BJP, the Eknath Shinde faction of the Shiv Sena and the Ajit Pawar wing of the NCP, has fielded nine candidates and has 201 MLAs, including Independents and smaller parties, backing it. 

The Maha Vikas Aghadi, which is under the INDIA umbrella, has the Congress, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) as its key constituents and has put up three candidates despite having the support of only 67 MLAs. Six MLAs, including an independent, are neutral and may end up playing a key role in the elections because 12 candidates are now vying for 11 Lok Sabha seats. 

What makes the exercise interesting, apart from the numbers game, is its timing – just after the Lok Sabha elections and months ahead of the Assembly polls in the state – which has led to it being dubbed a semi-final. This is also only the second time that elections will be held in Maharashtra’s unique political environment, where the split of two regional parties has led to two Shiv Senas and two NCPs – under very similar but different names – being pitted against each other. 

The Lok Sabha polls were the first round and parties from both sides are now pulling out all stops to ensure that they come out tops in the second. After Ajit Pawar’s NCP won just one Lok Sabha seat, there has been a strong buzz that MLAs from his party are looking to jump ship and return to the faction of the party led by Sharad Pawar. Their support is what may have given the opposition the confidence to field a third candidate.

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, who triggered the need for the election by fielding his close aide, Milind Narvekar, had said, “We would not be doing it (fielding a third candidate) if we had not been confident of winning.”

How The Numbers Stack Up – Mahayuti

The BJP, which has 103 MLAs, has fielded five candidates – Pankaja Munde, Yogesh Tilekar, Parinay Phuke, Amit Gorkhe and Sadabhau Khot – which means that it is 12 MLAs short of the number it needs to get them elected.

The Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led faction of the Shiv Sena has 37 members in the Assembly and has put up two candidates – Krupal Tumane and Bhawana Gawli. It is nine MLAs short.

The faction of the NCP led by Ajit Pawar has 39 MLAs and has two candidates in the fray,  Rajesh Vitekar and Shivajirao Garje, falling seven short of the 46 votes needed to get them elected. 

The ruling coalition is, however, banking on nine MLAs from smaller parties and 13 Independents to see it through. 

How The Numbers Stack Up – Maha Vikas Aghadi

The Congress, with 37 MLAs and one candidate, Pradyna Satav, is the only party with 14 surplus votes. Sharad Pawar’s NCP, with its 13 MLAs, is supporting the Peasants and Workers Party (PWP’s) Jayant Patil. 

Former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena has put up Mr Narve as a candidate despite having just 15 MLAs, eight short of the figure it needs. 

The Congress votes may make up for the shortfall faced by Mr Patil and Mr Narve but the votes of the AIMIM’s two MLAs, the SP’s two, the CPI(M)’s lone MLA and one Independent – all of whom are seen to be neutral – will be key. The Congress has claimed the coalition has the support of at least some of these MLAs

MLAs In Hotels

Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Vijay Wadettiwar of the Congress, organised a dinner meeting for his party MLAs at a hotel in Mumbai on Thursday night. The Congress has issued a whip to its MLAs asking them to vote for candidates of the Maha Vikas Aghadi. Exact instructions, given the surplus votes, will be issued just before voting begins, reported news agency PTI. 

Uddhav Thackeray held a dinner interaction with his MLAs at a five-star hotel in central Mumbai on Wednesday night. All 11 MLAs who attended the meeting stayed back at the hotel, where they were joined by the four remaining legislators on Thursday, said a party leader. 

Ajit Pawar’s NCP has moved its MLAs to a five-star hotel near the airport in suburban Mumbai while MLAs from Shiv Sena gathered in Vidhan Bhavan complex on Wednesday morning for a meeting and then moved to a five-star hotel in Bandra. 

BJP MLAs are also at a luxury hotel, but the the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) has not made any such move. 

Jayant Patil, the Maharashtra president of the NCP, said, “We have full faith in our MLAs and don’t feel the need to keep them in five-star hotels.” 

Voting will take place from 9 am to 4 pm and counting of votes will begin an hour later. 

(With inputs from PTI)

Ahmedabad:

Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said here on Saturday that his party will defeat the BJP in Gujarat in the next election the same way it did in Ayodhya in the recent Lok Sabha polls.

The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha made the remark while addressing a party workers’ convention in Ahmedabad.

“They (BJP) have challenged us by threatening us and damaging our office. Let me tell you that we are together going to break their government like they damaged our office. Take it in writing that Congress will contest in Gujarat and defeat Narendra Modi and BJP in Gujarat like we did in Ayodhya,” Mr Gandhi said.

Congress will win Gujarat, and make a new start from the state, he said.

He was referring to a clash that broke out between members of both Congress and BJP outside the Rajiv Gandhi Bhavan, Congress’s state headquarters, in Paldi area of Ahmedabad on July 2 after BJP’s youth wing members came there to protest against Mr Gandhi’s remarks on Hindus.

According to police, both sides engaged in stone-pelting, in which five policemen, including an Assistant Commissioner of Police, were injured.

In his speech, the former Congress chief also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the BJP’s defeat from the Faizabad Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh, where Ayodhya is located.

“People of Ayodhya felt angry when they found that not a single local person was invited for the Ram Mandir’s inauguration,” he said.

He also claimed that PM Modi wanted to contest from Ayodhya, but his surveyors advised him against doing so saying he will be defeated and his political career will end. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

In the wake of the arrest of an alleged terrorist affiliated with the Indian Mujahideen in Madhya Pradesh’s Khandwa, BJP MLA Usha Thakur has reignited the debate over the role and regulation of madrasas in the state. Ms Thakur has alleged that madrasas have historically been centres of terrorist connections and has called for their closure. Adding to this discourse, BJP MLA Abhilash Pandey has introduced a non-official resolution in the state assembly demanding the abolition of Article 30 of the Constitution, which grants minorities the right to establish and manage educational institutions based on religious or linguistic lines.

The term ‘madrasa’ originates from the Arabic word for ‘place of study,’ similar to the Hindi term ‘Pathshala’ and the English term ‘school.’ Historically, madrasas have been significant centres of learning. Notable Indian figures like Munshi Premchand and the first President of India, Dr Rajendra Prasad, received education from madrasas. Despite this rich educational heritage, certain BJP MLAs in Madhya Pradesh are pushing for their closure, linking them to terrorist activities.

Former Protem Speaker and BJP MLA Rameshwar Sharma commented that all educational institutions, including madrasas, should align with the national educational standards stipulated by the Constitution. He said that if institutions like madrasas are fostering anti-national sentiments, they should be dismantled.

Ms Thakur claimed that the recently apprehended terrorist in Khandwa had ties to such institutions. Ms Thakur urged the government to scrutinise and regulate madrasas more stringently.

Echoing similar sentiments, BJP MLA Abhilash Pandey highlighted that many madrasas operate without proper authorisation and are involved in suspicious activities. Mr Pandey advocated for the closure of madrasas not recognised by the Madrasa Board or the Education Department, aligning with recommendations from the Child Commission’s report last year.

When NDTV questioned Mr Pandey, he said, “I read it in your newspaper,” to which the journalist clarified that NDTV does not have a newspaper. Mr Pandey continued, “I have proof of it too, I can give it to you right now.”

When asked about the constitutional implications of his proposal, considering Articles 29 and 30 of the Constitution provide minorities with the right to establish and protect their educational institutions, Mr Pandey responded, “You see this, this is the news.”

NDTV then inquired whether actions would be taken against other illegally running schools and if any intelligence or police reports supported such claims, to which Mr Pandey replied, “Running illegally is a different issue… we will present the proof in the House.”

In contrast, Congress representatives criticised these proposals. Congress MLA Dinesh Gurjar argued that targeting madrasas is a direct assault on the Indian Constitution, which guarantees fundamental rights to all citizens, including the right to education. Congress MLA Atif Aqeel added that many madrasas provide quality education to innocent children and should not be stigmatized based on isolated incidents.

Madhya Pradesh hosts 1,505 government-recognised madrasas, educating a significant number of non-Muslim children as well. These madrasas operate similarly to government schools, offering education primarily in Urdu. Independent madrasas following the Dars-e-Nizami system are often affiliated with higher Islamic institutions and adhere to government-approved curricula.

Ahmedabad:

Police on Thursday registered a First Information Report (FIR) against BJP workers over a clash outside the Congress’ office in the Paldi area here.

The offence was registered hours after the opposition party threatened to launch a stir if no action was taken over Tuesday’s incidents.

The BJP had protested outside the Congress office on Tuesday over the alleged anti-Hindu remarks of Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi.

“We have taken a complaint from Congress and registered an FIR. No one has been arrested yet,” said Inspector B D Jhilaria of Ellisbridge police station.

Earlier in the day, Gujarat Congress president Shaktisinh Gohil threatened to launch a protest claiming that police were not registering an FIR against BJP workers even after various pieces of evidence established that they were involved in the attack.

Rahul Gandhi may visit Ahmedabad on July 6 and meet the Congress workers who stood their ground when stones were hurled at them, he said.

The state unit of the party has already extended an invitation to Gandhi and was confident that he will accept, Mr Gohil added.

A clash broke out between BJP and Congress workers outside Rajiv Gandhi Bhavan, Congress’s state headquarters, on Tuesday after BJP youth wing members reached there to protest against Rahul Gandhi’s remarks in his maiden speech as Leader of Opposition.

According to police, both sides engaged in stone pelting in which five policemen including an Assistant Commissioner of Police were injured.

On Wednesday, Ellisbridge police registered two FIRs, and arrested five Congress workers under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for offences including unlawful assembly, rioting, endangering life or personal safety of others and causing hurt to an on-duty public servant.

While the first FIR was registered against nearly 450 workers of both Congress and BJP on the basis of a complaint given by injured police constable Karmraj Bhagvatsinh, the other was based on a complaint filed by the youth wing of the BJP’s Ahmedabad unit.

On Thursday, hours after Gohil threatened to launch a stir, police registered another FIR against 15 BJP workers and a mob of 100 to 150 persons.

It was based on a complaint filed by working president of the Gujarat Congress, Himmatsinh Patel.

BJP’s youth wing workers threw stones at Congress workers, injuring a few, the complaint alleged.

The FIR registered on the basis of the complaint given by constable Karmraj Bhagvatsinh named local Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation Shehzad Khan Pathan and fellow party workers Pragati Ahir and Hetaben Parikh as accused besides a mob of some 250 Congress workers and 200 BJP workers.

It was Congress workers who first charged at BJP activists after being incited by some Congress leaders, and when police tried to stop them, the mob started throwing stones and thick wooden sticks towards BJP activists, it claimed.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

The Lok Sabha witnessed heated exchanges between the treasury benches and the opposition during the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address. The claims, counterclaims, and interjections all point towards a confrontational atmosphere in the 18th Lok Sabha, perhaps shaped by changes in its composition.

From 2019 to 2024, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and friendly parties held a significant lead of around 300 MPs over the INDIA bloc and opposition. However, this session saw the margin narrowing to just 60 MPs. The verbal sparring between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi turned acrimonious and personal, reflecting the recently concluded election campaign dynamics and entrenched positions.

Both Congress And BJP Remain Steadfast

While the Congress aims to sustain momentum, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) remains resolute not to concede further ground. The shift in strength, allocation of time for parties, and the calibre of speakers on both sides will significantly influence proceedings over the next five years. During the recent Motion of Thanks debate, Rahul Gandhi, as Leader of the Opposition, spoke for nearly an hour and 40 minutes out of the allotted 16 hours – roughly 15% of the total time allotted to the opposition.

Time allocations are based on Lok Sabha strength. During the No Confidence Motion of August 2023, the BJP received around 45% of the time, while the Congress’ share was just 18% With the BJP’s friendly parties (the Biju Janata Dal, the YSR Congress Party, the Bahujan Samaj Party) losing ground in recent elections, their allocation has shifted notably to opposition parties.

Also Read | ‘Hug, Wink In Parliament’: PM Modi’s Dig At Rahul Gandhi

Some prominent speakers from the treasury benches, such as Smriti Irani, were notably absent. Conversely, the presence of parties like the Samajwadi Party (SP) has bolstered the opposition, particularly with effective speakers in fluent Hindi. Akhilesh Yadav’s speech, noted for its sarcasm without overt anger, followed Rahul’s assertive tone.

Rahul’s Performance As LoP

During Monday’s session, Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on the Modi government, highlighting issues including inflation, unemployment, NEET, Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops, the Agniveer scheme, and Hindutva, aiming to put the government on the defensive. Top ministers, including the Prime Minister, intervened during Rahul’s speech.

While Rahul addressed critical issues, some noted the absence of specific data and figures in his speech. There is already an ongoing debate over Rahul’s performance in his role as Leader of the Opposition, with supporters arguing his assertiveness marks a significant political presence that cannot be ignored.

Not new to controversy, Rahul made a reference to the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), stating, that those who called themselves Hindu only talked about violence, hatred, and untruth. PM Modi rebutted instantly.

Also Read | “Every MP’s Right”: Rahul Gandhi Questions Expunging Of Parts Of Speech

References in Rahul’s speech to to Hinduism and violence, two prominent industrialists, the Agnipath scheme, and NEET, were expunged. The LoP subsequently wrote to the Speaker questioning the decision and demanding the restoration of his remarks in parliamentary records.

Modi’s Address

On Tuesday, PM Modi delivered the concluding remarks on the Motion of Thanks in the Lok Sabha. His speech, lasting around 2.5 hours, was a scathing attack on the Congress and Rahul. Throughout his address, the opposition shouted slogans, prompting Modi to use headphones to counter the noise. Despite the interruptions, Modi’s speech, though not entirely audible, gave enough hints of the things to come in the next five years.

Modi criticised the opposition’s maturity level, noting that while the treasury benches listened to Rahul’s speech with interjections rather than shouting slogans, the opposition did not afford the same respect to the Prime Minister. Expressing displeasure at the sloganeering, Modi referred to Rahul as “balak buddhi” (childish) and mocked how a party celebrating 99 out of 543 seats was acting as if it had won 99 out of 100. He criticised the Congress party’s promise of transferring Rs. 1 lakh to women’s bank accounts, highlighting the public’s scepticism about similar promises made earlier.

Modi accused Rahul of resorting to drama to garner sympathy, pointing out his bail status in alleged financial misconduct.

Overall, the debate was disappointing for both the opposition and the ruling party. BJP leaders neglected discussion around their agenda for the next five years, while the opposition failed to engage in constructive criticism and effectively address issues like NEET. Both sides instead resorted to mudslinging, seemingly forgetting that the elections were over.

The session’s outcome suggests the potential for more disruptions and chaos in Parliament. Both sides must reconcile with the electoral mandate and strive for a fresh start in the upcoming Budget session.

(Amitabh Tiwari is a political strategist and commentator. In his earlier avatar, he was a corporate and investment banker.)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author

Chennai:

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Tuesday said that despite the BJP leading the government for a third term at the Centre, “no tangible” effort has been taken to retrieve Katchatheevu, an islet ceded by India to Sri Lanka in 1974.

In a letter to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Mr Stalin flagged the ‘unprecedented’ increase in instances of apprehension of Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu by the Sri Lankan navy in recent weeks and called for concrete steps to find a lasting solution to uphold the traditional rights of the fishers from the state.

He pointed out that the Sri Lankan navy had apprehended 25 fishermen along with two motorised country crafts and two unregistered fishing boats on July 1.

“In the letter dated 27.06.2024, you have mentioned that the genesis of this issue goes back to 1974 following an understanding between the then Union Government and the State Government,” he said in an apparent reference to the ceding of Katchatheevu.

“In this regard, I would like to point out that the DMK-led State Government opposed the Katchatheevu agreement tooth and nail and its opposition to the same was made clear both in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly and the Parliament. The fact that the State Government was not properly consulted in this regard is well known. It is the Union Government that ceded the island to Sri Lanka completely, jeopardising and depriving the rights and interests of Indian Fishermen,” he said.

He recalled that his father and late DMK President M Karunanidhi had even filed a sworn affidavit before the Supreme Court and categorically stated that “when the entire exercise undertaken by government are devoid of constitutionality, it cannot be said the sovereignty of Katchatheevu island is a settled matter.”

“Despite the fact that the BJP-led government is in power for the third consecutive term, no tangible and meaningful effort has been taken to retrieve the island except for using the issue as election time rhetoric! The need of the hour is to ease the problems faced by the fishermen of Tamil Nadu and to find a lasting solution to this festering problem,” the chief minister said.

“Therefore, I reiterate my request to you to take necessary concrete steps to find a lasting solution to this vexatious issue so that the traditional rights of the Tamil Nadu fishermen are upheld,” he added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:
After Rahul Gandhi’s fiery speech in Parliament yesterday, in which he launched a scathing attack on BJP – large portions of which have been expunged from official records – the stage is set for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s anticipated response

Here are 10 points on this big story:

New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will deliver his reply to the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address in the lower house of Parliament today.

Union Health Minister JP Nadda will also make a statement regarding the status of implementation of the recommendations or observations contained in the 143rd & 154th reports of the Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare on Demands for Grants pertaining to MoHFW.

On Monday Rahul Gandhi  delivered his first speech as the LoP with a copy of the Constitution and photos of religious figures, including Lord Shiva – launched a fierce attack on the BJP and its ideological mentor, the RSS.

Here are the live updates on Parliament Session 2024:
 

Just In| Discussion on Motion of Thanks on President’s Address begins in Lok Sabha

Just In| Discussion on Motion of Thanks on President’s Address begins in Lok Sabha

Several portions of Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi’s speech in the House yesterday have been expunged. 

The portions expunged include his comments on Hindus, and PM Narendra Modi-BJP-RSS among others.