VCK president Thol. Thirumavalavan.
| Photo Credit: R. ASHOK

New Delhi:

The Congress will contest the Bihar assembly election as part of the Opposition bloc INDIA, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said at the party’s office in Patna today.

Tejashwi Yadav of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), a member of the Opposition bloc, had said the INDIA grouping was meant to focus only on Lok Sabha elections.

“BJP and RSS have to be defeated in Bihar. We will defeat them by standing united with the bloc INDIA,” Rahul Gandhi said. “You are the lions and tigers of the Congress. Get ready to fight,” he told party workers.

The Bihar assembly election will be held this year.

Tejashwi Yadav, who in today’s RJD executive meeting was authorised to take big decisions along with his father Lalu Yadav, has not yet spoken on Rahul Gandhi’s comments that the Congress would fight the Bihar election with the INDIA bloc.

The RJD will amend its party constitution to give the right to Tejashwi Yadav to change the party name or symbol. The amendment will be presented in the upcoming state council meeting.

Rahul Gandhi later today went to Lalu Yadav’s Patna home and met his family.

Attacking the Nitish Kumar government, the Congress MP said the education system in Bihar has been “completely sold out”, depriving young people of the opportunity to secure jobs.

“Youth cannot get employment in Bihar. Inflation is skyrocketing, and poor people are being crushed,” he said, signaling a focus on addressing economic and social challenges.

Nitish Kumar leads a coalition government in Bihar with the Janata Dal (United) and the BJP being the key constituents.

Rahul Gandhi also met a delegation of aspirants who have been protesting against alleged irregularities in the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) exams. The delegation asked him to visit Gardani Bagh where several aspirants have been on a round-the-clock protest seeking cancellation of the Combined Competitive Exam held last month.

“We urged Rahul Gandhi to visit Gardani Bagh which is our ‘dharmabhoomi’ and ‘karmabhoomi’. He said he will take some time off. As the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, he is known to the entire nation and his support means a lot to us,” Suman Saurabh, a student from Sitamarhi, told news agency PTI.

Mumbai:

INDIA bloc is only for national elections, said Sharad Pawar today amid reports that everything is not alright between the constituents of the opposition alliance. 

The statement holds significance as it echoed the statement of Sanjay Raut of Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) who recently said that the INDIA bloc and Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliances – comprising Sena (UBT), Congress and NCP (SP) – were only meant for Lok Sabha and assembly elections.

Sharad Pawar said, “There has never been any talk regarding state and local elections in the INDIA alliance,” adding in the same breath, “Everyone will meet and decide on this (local body elections) in the next 10 days”.

Earlier today, Mr Raut, while saying that it was difficult to form an an alliance in the local body elections, expressed confidence in the survival of the INDIA bloc and called on Congress as the “larger partner” in the alliance, to take responsibility for maintaining unity among the opposition parties.

“In Delhi, the Congress and AAP think that they are big powers… In Maharashtra also we have said that the local body elections are of the workers. It is difficult to form an alliance there, but our alliance will be intact in Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha (Maharashtra). Being the bigger party in the alliance, it is the responsibility of Congress to keep us together,” Mr Raut added.

He also said that there was nothing wrong in contesting elections against allies and cited the example of the Delhi assembly elections where the AAP and Congress are competing against each other.

When Sharad Pawar was asked about the AAP vs Congress contest in Delhi, he said that the “INDIA bloc was meant only for national elections”. “Delhi is (Arvind) Kejriwal’s base. The people of Delhi have given the majority to his party twice in the elections and that is why it would have been good if we could have done something by taking them into confidence,” he added..

The AAP and Congress’ Delhi election decision came months after they fought the Lok Sabha elections together. Their Lok Sabha poll effort ended in a debacle as the BJP won all seven seats.

Earlier, NCP (SP) working president and Sharad Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule said the parties always contested local bodies solo.

“Local bodies’ elections are of the party workers. If we contest these polls as per our convenience what should the cadre do; only lift mattresses of leaders?” she asked.

The Congress, meanwhile, has said the party’s central leadership will decide on whether it will contest solo or otherwise in the local body polls, the schedule of which is yet to be declared.

The remarks by the senior leaders come amid buzz that the Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) have softened their stance towards the BJP in recent days.

Mr Pawar, however, dismissed the speculation and said, “Not even a single MP of my party wants to go with BJP.” His statement came almost at the same time an editorial in Shiv Sena (UBT) mouthpiece Saamana described Amit Shah’s recent remarks on Mr Thackeray as “language of arrogance”.

In a poll rally, Mr Shah had said that the people of Maharashtra taught a lesson to Uddhav Thackeray for his “betrayal politics”.

In the recently held assembly polls, the ruling Mahayuti alliance of BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP won 230 of the state’s 288 seats, shrinking MVA’s tally to 46 seats, with Sena (UBT), Congress, and NCP (SP) each contributing 20, 16 and 10 seats, respectively.

Kolkata:

Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, much sought after to lead the INDIA Bloc, today thanked all those supporting her — veteran leader Lalu Yadav was the last voice yesterday to join the chorus. Ms Banerjee thanked everyone for the “respect” they have shown her, but did not elaborate further.

“I am thankful to everyone for the respect the leaders have shown me. I am thankful to everyone. I pray for everyone’s good health. I want them to stay well and their parties to do well. I want INDIA to do well. That’s what I want but today I want to wish everyone on behalf of our Jagannath Temple,” she said.

The leaders of the parties that form the INDIA alliance are expected to meet after the ongoing Parliament session. It will be the first after the Lok Sabha elections and also after the Congress’s major electoral losses in Haryana and Maharashtra.

It is that reversal of Congress fortune that has led to the call for Mamata Banerjee to don the mantle of leadership. Among the first to give voice to the demand was Shiv Sena UBT’s Priyanka Chaturvedi.

“Because she has shown a successful model in West Bengal where she has kept the BJP away from power and implemented good welfare schemes… her election experience, and fighting spirit, accordingly she has shared her interest. Whenever the INDIA bloc meeting takes place, our senior leaders will together take a decision,” she had said.

Her party colleague Sanjay Raut also made it clear that they want Ms Banerjee to play a key role. “We want her to be a major partner of the INDIA alliance… We will soon go to talk to Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata,” he had said.

Veteran politician and NCP founder Sharad Pawar had agreed that she is capable of leading the alliance. “She is a prominent leader of this nation… she has that capability. The elected leaders she sent to Parliament are responsible, dutiful, and well-aware people. Therefore, she has the right to say so,” Mr Pawar had said.

“We will support Mamata… Mamata Banerjee should be given the leadership (of the INDIA Bloc),” Lalu Yadav said yesterday.

Patna:

RJD chief Lalu Yadav on Tuesday asserted that West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee should be allowed to lead the INDIA bloc.

His comment comes days after Ms Banerjee expressed her intent to take charge of the anti-BJP coalition.

Mr Yadav also said if the Congress, a major ally of the INDIA bloc, had any reservation about accepting Ms Banerjee as the leader of the opposition front, it would “not make any difference”.

“Mamta Banerjee should be allowed to head the INDIA bloc,” the RJD chief said.

Asked about the Congress’ “reservation” to accept her as the opposition bloc leader, Lalu said, “The Congress’ opposition will not make any difference…She should be allowed to lead the INDIA bloc.” Earlier, Lalu’s son and senior RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav had said he had “no objection to any senior leader of the INDIA bloc, including Banerjee, leading the coalition”, but stressed that the decision must be reached through consensus.

Ms Banerjee had, on December 6, expressed dissatisfaction with the functioning of the INDIA bloc, signalling her intent to take charge of the alliance if given the opportunity.

The Trinamool Congress supremo said she could manage the dual responsibility of running the opposition front while continuing her role as the chief minister of West Bengal.

“I had formed the INDIA bloc, now it is up to those leading the front to manage it. If they can’t run the show, what can I do? I would just say that everyone needs to be taken along,” she said in an interview with Bengali news channel News 18 Bangla.

Asked about Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s proposed statewide yatra from December 15, the RJD supremo said, “He is holding the statewide yatra just to refresh his eyes. The RJD-led coalition will form the government in the state in 2025.” Kumar is all set to embark on the statewide journey – ‘Mahila Samvad Yatra’ – from December 15 to review the progress of the state government’s seven-resolves programme and feel the pulse of the people through interaction with women. 

Mumbai:

Nationalist Congress Party (SP) chief Sharad Pawar has supported West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s statement expressing her willingness to take charge of the INDIA bloc.

Talking to reporters in Kolhapur on Saturday, Mr Pawar said the Trinamool Congress chief is a capable leader and has the right to show her intent to head the opposition alliance.

Earlier this week, Ms Banerjee said she could manage the dual responsibility of running the opposition front while continuing her role as the chief minister of West Bengal.

Her statement comes at a time when broader tensions have emerged within the INDIA bloc due to dissatisfaction from various regional parties and the recent electoral setbacks for the Congress in Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, and Maharashtra.

Asked about Ms Banerjee’s remark, Mr Pawar said, “She is a capable leader in the country and has the right to say it. The MPs she has sent to the Parliament are hardworking and aware.” 

Flush with the party’s victory across six Assembly seats in the just concluded byelections and citing the Congress’ poor electoral run, most recently in Maharashtra, Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee told NDTV that Mamata Banerjee should be accepted as leader of the Opposition INDIA bloc.

“For last three or four years what have they done? In the INDIA alliance, who is the leader? Nobody has been chosen as a leader, as a face of the opposition. Now it has to be done. The Congress has failed that is established. Congress leaders tried in Haryana, they failed. Maharashtra, they have failed. It is not that only Congress has lost, it is that we all, in INDIA alliance, who have lost. We reposed our faith in Congress but it could not achieve the result. Try to understand our point,” Kalyan Banerjee, who is Trinamool’s chief whip in the Lok Sabha, told NDTV.

The Congress won just 16 seats in Maharashtra against the BJP’s 132, adding another chapter to its anthology of losses in recent times. Its senior leader Prithviraj Chavan, a former Chief Minister, and Balasaheb Thorat lost in Karad South and Sangamner seats, respectively. In October, the party was bested by the BJP in Haryana, a state it was widely tipped to sweep.

“We were also expecting that Congress will do better in Haryana. Congress will do better in Maharashtra. Sharad Pawar will do better in Maharashtra. So that non-BJP government is formed but they have destroyed our dreams. That has to be accepted. Now, you have to take ground reality,” Mr Banerjee said.

Underscoring Mamata Banerjee’s fighting spirit and her wide experience both at the Centre and state level, the Trinamool leader made a case for her as INDIA bloc leader.

“You see byelections happened. Everyone has critcised Mamata Banerjee but we won six out of six seats in Bengal. We have won by a margin of 1 lakh. People have reposed confidence in Mamata Banerjee. People of Bengal. People all over India also prefer Mamata Banerjee. People of country love Mamata Banerjee. Why? Because of her fighting character. She has been an MP, a Railway Minister. She has all sorts of qualities, better experience and qualities than whoever is the leader of Opposition,” said Mr Banerjee.

“It is not a question of ego. It is nothing. It is for leaders of all political Opposition parties to rethink over the matter. Unity of opposition has to be made by making a leader. If you don’t make a leader, how can there be unity. Someone has to drive the car,” he emphasized.

Stressing that there’s no divide in Opposition, he however advised the Congress to take everyone along.

“There’s no divide in Opposition but you have to take all together. In Maharashtra, did Congress call us? In Haryana, did Congress call us. Why? What’s the reason? Our object is to fight against BJP, against Narendra Modi. Must retrospect. Must See. Those who were responsible in Haryana, Maharashtra must retrospect. They are not in a position to attract people,” said Mr Banerjee.

With his party winning three of the four Assembly seats in Punjab where bypolls were held, 
senior Aam Aadmi Party leader Raghav Chadha has said the results are a stamp of approval for the Bhagwant Mann government in the state under the leadership of party chief Arvind Kejriwal. 

Speaking to news agency ANI on Saturday, Mr Chadha pointed out that these three seats had never been won by the AAP before and also reflected on the results in Maharashtra – where the INDIA bloc was routed – and Jharkhand – which it retained – saying that it was a case of ‘kahin khushi, kahin gham‘ (happiness in one place, sadness in the other). 

“The results of the Punjab bypolls are very encouraging and I congratulate the workers of the AAP. The work of Bhagwan Mann’s government under the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal has been given a stamp of approval by the people. The three seats – Chabbewal, Gidderbaha and Dera Baba Nanak – that we have won today are constituencies where the AAP has never won,” he said in Hindi.

“When the Punjab Assembly elections were held in 2022, there was a tsunami in favour of Aam Aadmi Party, but we still could not win these seats. This shows that people have been influenced by the work done by our government in the past two-and-a-half years,” he added.

The Rajya Sabha MP said that even in the fourth seat of Barnala, the AAP had lost by a slim margin. 

Responding to a question on the Maharashtra and Jharkhand results, Mr Chadha said, “It is a case of ‘kahin khushi, kahin gham‘ for the INDIA alliance. The bloc lost in Maharashtra and the Eknath Shinde government and the coalition got an important victory. In Jharkhand, a negative type of politics, vendetta politics, has been rejected by the people, who have given a big mandate to Hemant Soren and the INDIA alliance. I believe that, with the Jharkhand victory, the negative kind of politics will weaken or end and the politics of governance development will get an impetus.”

The MP also said that a discussion will be held on the Maharashtra results after they have been analysed.

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

New Delhi:
INDIA bloc parties will stage protests in and outside Parliament today against what they describe as “discrimination” against opposition-ruled states in the recently unveiled Union Budget.

1. The high-level meeting saw participation from several prominent leaders, including the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress’ deputy leaders in both houses Pramod Tiwari and Gaurav Gogoi, NCP (SCP) chief Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, TMC’s Derek O’Brien and Kalyan Banerjee, DMK’s TR Baalu, JMM’s Mahua Maji, AAP’s Raghav Chadha and Sanjay Singh, and CPI(M)’s John Brittas. Congress general secretaries KC Venugopal and Jairam Ramesh were also present.

2. “The concept of a budget has already been destroyed by this year’s Union Budget. They have completely discriminated against most of the states. So, the general sentiment of the INDIA bloc meeting was we have to protest against this,” said Mr Venugopal claimed following the meeting. He later expressed on social media that the budget was “extremely discriminatory and dangerous,” going against the principles of federalism and fairness.

3. As part of their protest, Congress chief ministers will also boycott the NITI Aayog meeting scheduled for July 27. “This government’s attitude is completely antithetical to Constitutional principles. We will not participate in an event that is solely designed to hide the true, discriminatory colors of this regime,” Mr Venugopal alleged.

4. On Tuesday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Budget for 2024-25, marking her seventh consecutive budget presentation, surpassing former Prime Minister Morarji Desai’s record. This budget is the first under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third term in office. During her speech, Ms Sitharaman said that the country’s inflation remains stable and is moving towards 4 per cent, with core inflation at 3.1 per cent.

5. “The ‘#BudgetForViksitBharat’ ensures inclusive growth, benefiting every segment of society and paving the way for a developed India,” wrote Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media. 

6. Speaking exclusively with NDTV, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju claimed that “no one with a sane mind” will criticise the 2024 Union Budget. “I feel this Budget lays the strongest-ever foundation for ‘atmanirbhar’ Bharat because the Prime Minister has already given a clear-cut vision to make India a developed nation by 2047,” he said. 

7. Ms Sitharaman highlighted several key points in the budget, including rewards for key NDA allies, tax relief for new taxpayers, and a focus on job creation for youth. 

8. The budget introduced several changes to the tax regime, increasing the standard deduction in the new tax regime from Rs 50,000 to Rs 75,000 and revising tax slabs to benefit a broader range of income groups. Salaried employees can now save up to Rs 17,500 in income tax under the new slabs.

9. Additionally, the budget included a major announcement for professionals entering the workforce. The government will provide one month’s salary as a Provident Fund contribution for first-time employees, benefiting an estimated 210 lakh youngsters. Additional measures include raising the exemption limit for capital gains on some financial assets to Rs 1.25 lakh per year and abolishing angel tax for all classes of investors.

10. The budget also earmarked significant projects for Bihar and Andhra Pradesh, states whose political leaders recently aligned with the BJP to secure a parliamentary majority. For Bihar, the budget outlines the development of expressways and a power plant, while Andhra Pradesh will see infrastructure projects prioritised, including substantial financial support for capital development.

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