Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu in Hyderabad on Sunday.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

BJP emerged as the single-largest party, winning 82 seats, followed by Congress in a distant second with 19 seats. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

BJP leader and the party’s candidate for Mylapore Assembly segment, Tamilisai Soundararajan, during her election campaign at Mandaveli in Chennai on Friday
| Photo Credit: S. Shivaraj

Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises H. D. Kumaraswamy,  BJP Karnataka State president B.Y. Vijayendra, Leader of the Opposition of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly R .Ashok during press conference in Bengaluru on Saturday.   
| Photo Credit: SUDHAKARA JAIN

Elections in Karnataka have increasingly become bipolar, with 77% of the seats recording bipolar contests in 2018

New Delhi:

The BJP lashed out at the Congress, accusing it of seeking foreign funds to stop Prime Minister Narendra Modi from coming to power in 2014. The party’s allegations came a day after US President Donald Trump questioned a move by former president Joe Biden’s administration to provide $21 million to India for “voter turnout” and questioned if they were “trying to get somebody else elected”.

The Congress has demanded a White Paper on the USAID funds to India and dubbed Trump’s claims as “nonsensical”.

BJP sources said during the rule of the erstwhile Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA), the government received $204.28 million, while the NGOs received $2114.96 million. This inflow slowed down to a trickle once the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) came to power. The government funding dropped to $1 million from 2014 to 2015, though the funding of non-profits increased to $2579.73 million. 

Since its creation, George Soros’s OCCRP, which produced anti-government reports that were used by the Congress to target the NDA government, received $47 million, sources said.  

“After the Modi Government came to power, funding to the NGOs and other avenues in India increased significantly, showcasing how the focus has shifted from USAID being directly involved in governmental matters to funding anti-India/anti-national forums in India,” BJP sources claimed.

Jairam Ramesh, the Congress’s senior leader and communications in-charge, has hit back with a demand for a White Paper.

In a post on X, Mr Ramesh said: “USAID is very much in the news these days. It was set up on November 3, 1961. Claims being made by the US President are typically nonsensical to say the least. Even so, the Govt of India should bring out a White Paper at the earliest detailing USAID’s support to both governmental and non-governmental institutions in India over the decades”.

USAID is very much in the news these days.

It was set up on November 3, 1961. Claims being made by the US President are typically nonsensical to say the least. Even so, the Govt of India should bring out a White Paper at the earliest detailing USAID’s support to both…

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) February 20, 2025

On February 16, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by US billionaire and SpaceX chief Musk, listed items on which the “US taxpayer dollars were going to be spent” and the list included “$21 million for voter turnout in India”.

On Thursday, Trump questioned the purpose of providing $21 million to India for “voter turnout”. “Why do we need to spend USD 21 million for voter turnout in India? I guess they were trying to get somebody else elected,” President Trump said.

New Delhi:

Keeping a key poll promise, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced after the first Cabinet meeting on Thursday that her government would implement the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme in the national capital. In a move that may ignite a political slugfest, the chief minister also said that 14 Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reports, whose tabling had allegedly been delayed by the previous AAP government, will now be presented in the Assembly.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Ms Gupta said in Hindi, “During the cabinet meeting, we have taken two big decisions. The Ayushman Bharat Yojana, whose implementation had been held back by the previous government, will be implemented in Delhi with a top-up of Rs 5 lakh from the state government. PM Narendra Modi had announced the scheme for the whole nation, but Delhi could not get its benefits because of the AAP. This will be done at the earliest after the formalities are completed.”

“There are 14 CAG reports pending, which were not tabled by the previous government. They will be tabled during the first session of the Assembly. These decisions were taken today. We will take up our other commitments, give shape to each one of them and present them before you soon,” she added.

The implementation of the Ayushman Bharat Yojana had become a major flashpoint between the AAP and the BJP. MPs from the BJP had also filed a petition in the Delhi High Court, seeking that the scheme be made available to people in the national capital.

The AAP had, however, argued that the capital’s residents enjoy “superior” benefits under the Delhi government’s schemes and implementing Ayushman Bharat would effectively be a downgrade. The Delhi government said that the Centre had used 2011 Census data for the Ayushman Bharat scheme, rendering it “old and archaic”, and did not take the evolving circumstances of society into consideration.

BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj had said there was no willingness on the part of the Delhi government to implement the central scheme. Both parties had made the issue an electoral one and the BJP had promised it would implement Ayushman Bharat when it came to power.

The tabling of the 14 CAG reports, including one on the scrapped liquor policy – which had led to AAP chief and then chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, then deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and other AAP leaders going to jail – had also become a big political issue.  

This matter was also being litigated in the Delhi High Court, which had, last month, refused to order a special session of the Assembly to discuss the reports. The bench had, however, noted the delay in their tabling. 

Atishi’s Dare

Ahead of the first cabinet meeting, former chief minister Atishi had urged to BJP to implement its other poll promise of giving Rs 2,500 a month to eligible women. When Chief Minister Gupta was asked about this, however, she said, “It is our government, the agenda will be ours. Ask her (Atishi) why she did not implement it when the AAP was in power.”

Atishi responded, saying that the women of Delhi were hoping the BJP would fulfil its promise, but the party had failed to do so. “The BJP has started breaking its promises on the first day itself,” she alleged.

The BJP secured 48 seats in the Delhi Assembly elections, returning to power in the national capital after 26 years and reducing the once-formidable AAP to just 22. 

The Lokayukta’s clean chit to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the alleged MUDA land scam has triggered a political slugfest, with the BJP alleging that the state government handpicked the officers investigating the case and the Congress hitting back and saying that the issue was politically motivated.

The Lokayukta on Thursday submitted an 11,000-page closure report to the Special Court for MLAs and MPs in Bengaluru in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case against Siddaramaiah, his wife BM Parvathi, brother-in-law Mallikarjunswamy and landowner J Devaraju. The allegation is that Siddaramaiah’s wife was allotted 14 sites in Vijayanagar Layout, an upmarket area in Mysuru, as compensation for the use of 3.16 acres of land in Kesare village near the city. An anti-corruption activist had complained that this had caused a loss of Rs 45 crore to the state.

Siddaramaiah has maintained that there was no wrongdoing in the transactions, asserting that the plots were gifted to his wife by her brother. 

Writing to one of the complainants, the Lokayukta had said on Wednesday that there was not enough evidence to conduct an investigation against Siddaramaiah and the charges seemed civil in nature and not “suitable for criminal charges”.

The BJP has said it has faith in the Lokayukta but insisted that the investigation was not conducted properly. 

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said, “We have full confidence in the Lokayukta, whereas the police officers who have investigated have been transferred, appointed, given postings by the same Siddaramaiah. We cannot expect a fair inquiry and this is an eyewash. If Siddaramaiah wants to come clean, he should hand over the case to the CBI, otherwise a high court-monitored investigation should be done.”

The Congress, however, hit out at the BJP and accused it of being okay with Lokayukta orders or rulings as long as they were in its favour.

“I had said in the beginning itself, when BJP and Janata Dal (Secular) did their padayatra from Bengaluru to Mysuru, that it (allegation) is politically motivated. His (Siddaramaiah) signature was not there, he had nothing to do with it. His family had lost the property and had asked for a claim, everyone does that whether it is me or you, and he was given (alternative sites). There was no demand for allotment in a specific place,” Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. 

“There should be evidence to file any case, but in this case there was no evidence. Lokayukta have done their duty, if they (complainants) have any objections, let them fight (legally)… Lokayukta is not just the police, it is an independent body, the Chief Minister has no control over it. If any official has to be appointed to the body, it is only after taking the approval of the Lokayukta,” he added. 
 

New Delhi:

BJP’s Rekha Gupta took oath as the new Chief Minister of Delhi along with her six cabinet colleagues today. Ms Gupta, a first-time MLA from Shalimar Bagh, was sworn in at a grand ceremony at the iconic Ramlila Maidan, 11 days after her party returned to power in the national capital after more than 26 years.

Rekha Gupta’s Net Worth

According to Rekha Gupta’s affidavit submitted to the Election Commission (EC) before the 2025 Delhi assembly elections, she declared her total income as Rs 6,92,050 in the financial year 2023-24.

Her moveable assets were worth Rs 1.25 crore, she said in the affidavit filed on January 15. She also had immovable assets worth Rs 2.3 crore.

The 50-year-old politician has loans worth Rs 48.44 lakh.

Her affidavit showed that she owns two residential properties, one of which is co-owned with her husband, Manish Gupta. 

She does not own any vehicle and has jewellery worth Rs 18 lakh.

Mr Gupta’s income in the financial year 2023-2024 was Rs 97,33,570. His movable assets are worth Rs 1.14 crore and immovable assets are worth Rs 30 lakh.

Rekha Gupta: Delhi’s Fourth Woman Chief Minister

Rekha Gupta, a former president of the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU), has become the fourth woman Chief Minister of Delhi after BJP’s Sushma Swaraj, Congress’ Sheila Dikshit, and Aam Aadmi Party’s Atishi. 

She defeated AAP candidate Bandana Kumari by over 29,000 votes from the Shalimar Bagh seat in the February 5 Assembly polls. Notably, Ms Gupta contested the Shalimar Bagh seat in both the 2015 and 2020 Delhi elections but was defeated by AAP’s Bandana Kumari in both years. 

Born on July 19, 1974, in Nandgarh village of Jind district in Haryana, Ms Gupta’s father served as a bank officer. In 1976, her family moved to neighbouring Delhi.

As a student at Delhi University, she joined the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). 

Her active involvement in student politics led to her election as the President of Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) for the 1996-1997 term. She also served as the Secretary of Dyal Singh College and was deeply engaged in student activism, which propelled her further into public life.

Her political career with the BJP began in the early 2000s. She joined the party’s youth wing, the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), and held the role of secretary in the Delhi unit. 

She was then appointed the National Secretary of BJYM from 2004 to 2006. 

In 2007, she was elected as a councillor in the MCD elections, representing the North Pitampura constituency. 

She went on to serve as the President of the Women’s Welfare and Child Development Committee in MCD from 2007 to 2009.