Haryana’s Deepak Punia on his way to winning his quarterfinal bout against statemate Rahul Hooda in the men’s 92kg freestyle category in the Senior Open Ranking Wrestling tournament, in Nandininagar, Gonda, Uttar Pradesh on Sunday. May 10, 2026.
| Photo Credit: SANDEEP SAXENA

Forty years ago, on October 31, 1984, India saw a sudden change of guard—Rajiv Gandhi was sworn in as Prime Minister within four-and-a-half hours of the official announcement of the assassination of Indira Gandhi. In 1964 and 1966, when the premiership changed following the death of a predecessor, new incumbents were sworn in after a 13-day mourning period. But things were different in 1984. Jawaharlal Nehru and Lal Bahadur Shastri had died due to natural causes; Indira Gandhi had fallen to the bullets of assassins, her own bodyguards.

The planners of the assassination had chosen a perfect day: President Zail Singh was on a visit abroad; Cabinet Secretary Krishnaswamy Raosahib and the Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary, P.C.Alexander, were in Bombay for a meeting of the Atomic Energy Commission; Pranab Mukherjee, the designated number-two in the Indira Gandhi Cabinet, was in West Bengal, accompanying All India Congress Committee general secretary Rajiv Gandhi on a tour of rural areas; Home Minister P.V.Narasimha Rao was visiting coastal Andhra; the Congress Working President, Kamlapati Tripathi, was touring Uttar Pradesh; Defence Minister Shankarrao Chavan was in Moscow, leading a delegation of Army and Air Force top brass; Naval chief Admiral Dawson was in Vishakhapatnam; and top intelligence advisor, Ram Nath Kao, was abroad.

Dark Days

Thanks to the resilience of India’s democracy, chaos was avoided and a smooth transition of power ensued, though it was blotted by the bloodshed of anti-Sikh riots, for which ultra-enthusiasts of the ruling party were blamed (some are facing trial to date). It was a macabre period—apparently, voters’ lists and ration card addresses had been used to identify Sikh homes for the pogrom. Indira Gandhi’s assassination was an aftermath of Operation Bluestar, in which the Army flushed out terrorists by attacking Amritsar’s Golden Temple complex. She was killed by Sikh bodyguards in her home, 1 Safdarjung Road.

Both norm and form were bypassed on that fateful day. It set in motion a departure from the observance of custom and ushered in an era of ad hoc, off-the-cuff decision-making in the Congress, in which the long shadow of bureaucracy and advisors (read: family, friends) over seasoned political leadership was all too evident. Palace intrigues were not new to the Grand Old Party. But in 1984, it was endorsed and institutionalised. Pigmies began dwarfing stalwarts.

Constitution And ‘Acting PM’

In 1964 and 1967, the charge of interim Prime Minister fell on the shoulders of Home Minister Gulzari Lal Nanda. India has no Constitutional provision for having an ‘acting Prime Minister’. Yet, Nanda was sworn in, ultimately demitting office after the next Prime Minister was formally chosen by the Congress Party in Parliament (CPP). Party president K. Kamraj orchestrated the candidatures of Lal Bahadur Shastri in 1964 and Indira Gandhi in 1966. On both occasions, conservative right-wing leader Morarji Desai lost out—he would become the Janata Party Prime Minister in 1977.

In 1984, Indira Gandhi herself was Congress President. She had appointed Kamlapati Tripathi as the Working President. On the day of her assassination, he was on tour. Thus, unlike in 1964 and 1966, there was no “Kamraj” available in New Delhi. On both of those previous occasions, President Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was at the Rashtrapati Bhavan to mentor and monitor succession. In 1984, Gyani Zail Singh was on a visit to Yemen (he rushed back upon hearing the news).

The Announcement Of Gandhi’s Death

As Indira Gandhi’s bullet-ridden body lay at the All-India Institute for Medical Sciences (AIIMS), a conference room was opened up for ministers and senior bureaucrats. Indira Gandhi’s longtime aide, R.K. Dhawan, was also there, but the eclipsing of his status was all too evident. The advisor in the Prime Minister’s Secretariat, Vijay Shankar Tripathi, a retired IAS officer, acting in tandem with Rajiv Gandhi’s buddies, called the shots. He advised Principal Information Officer U.C. Tiwari to ensure that the news was not officially announced by Akashvani till 6 pm, though doctors had announced her death at 2.20 pm. Information minister H.K.L. Bhagat was kept out of the loop too.

The news had been broadcast by BBC London around 11 am, soon after the Indira Gandhi family’s yoga teacher, Dhirendra Brahmachari, came out of the eighth-floor operation theatre, where Gandhi’s body lay, and said with a strange wave of the hand “ab sab Bhagwan ke haath mein hai” (now it’s in the hands of the Almighty).

Following the BBC broadcast, most Indian missions abroad had lowered the national flag to half-mast. US President Ronald Reagan’s condolences reached New Delhi at 2 pm (even before the medical bulletin). However, as per Tripathi’s diktat, Indira Gandhi was ‘officially alive’ till 6 pm. Rajiv Gandhi was sworn in at 6.55 pm.

Rajiv Gandhi had heard the news put out by BBC that forenoon on a transistor radio in a village in Midnapore district. Pranab Mukherjee was by his side. He decided to rush back to Delhi. A special Indian Airlines flight was arranged from Calcutta. Mukherjee and another minister, A.B.A. Ghani Khan Choudhary, accompanied him. He reached AIIMS at 3.40 pm.

How Rajiv Gandhi Became PM

Rajiv Gandhi was of the opinion that a senior minister should hold the fort till things were finalised by the CPP. But this was not to be, as Parliamentary Affairs Minister Buta Singh, AICC treasurer Sitaram Kesari, Arun Nehru and Rajiv Gandhi’s school friend and aide, Arun Singh, were on the same page as V.S. Tripathi; a signature campaign endorsing Rajiv Gandhi was already on. The Youth Congress had announced that if anyone else was sworn in, “there would be trouble”.

President Zail Singh arrived at AIIMS at 5 pm. His motorcade had been pelted with stones as he drove from the Palam airport (anti-Sikh riots had engulfed the nation). During a conversation he had with this writer in August 1985, Singh recalled the day’s events thus: on learning that Indira Gandhi had been shot, he decided to return from Yemen. He asked his Secretary, IAS officer A.C. Bandopadhyay, to get a copy of the Constitution from the local Embassy. On board the IAF special aircraft, the President enquired about Rajiv Gandhi’s whereabouts. IAF security advised that as the flight was traversing airspace adjacent to Pakistan, only radio traffic related to flight logistics was advisable; the President’s mind should not be disclosed.

Honouring Indira Gandhi’s ‘Wish’

“After studying the Constitution, I realised that though the President is bound by aid and advice of the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister, he has one independent, unfettered power: to choose who ought to be the Prime Minister and swear him in,” Singh added. He said he owed his position to Indira Gandhi and wished to fulfil her wish that her son should be her successor. On reaching AIIMS, he put his arm around Rajiv Gandhi’s shoulders and invited him to the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The selection of Rajiv Gandhi was done during a meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Board (CPB),  an organisational apex body, and not by CPP, the parliamentary wing. Of the five-member CPB, only two people—Pranab Mukherjee and P.V. Narasimha Rao—attended. Kamlapati Tripathi and Margatham Chandrashekhar were not in Delhi. The decision of the CPB was conveyed to the President in a handwritten note signed by the AICC General Secretary (Organisation), G.Karuppiah Moopanar (as a protégé of Kamraj, Moopanar had witnessed 1964 and 1966 successions from the sidelines).

As Rajiv Gandhi was being sworn in at the Rashtrapati Bhavan’s Durbar Hall, a meeting of the CPP was being held in Parliament’s Central Hall. It was presided by its deputy leader, Prof. N.G. Ranga, who was oblivious to the developments in the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Thirty members attended. A condolence resolution was adopted. The CPP’s endorsement was post facto: on November 2, a resolution was passed with 497 out of 505 votes (eight MPs were absent) ‘electing’ the new Prime Minister.

Thus, a new era began. Endorsement of leadership, and not election, became the norm. Rajiv Gandhi won the ensuing General Election by a record score, surpassing Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi. 
Five years later, beginning 1989, Congress stopped getting a Lok Sabha majority on its own. The Bharatiya Janata Party, born on April 6, 1980, contested its first election on the lotus symbol in 1984, winning a mere two seats. Decades later, in 2014, it would emerge as India’s party of governance with a clear mandate. 

(Shubhabrata Bhattacharya is a retired editor and a public affairs commentator)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author

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

Lucknow Super Giants coach Justin Langer with captain K.L. Rahul
| Photo Credit: Sandeep Saxena

Former Australian cricketer Justin Langer was enticed by the prospect of becoming India’s head coach but K.L. Rahul’s word of caution regarding the “pressure and politics” that come with the job dissuaded him from pursuing the “amazing” opportunity.

Langer, who served as Lucknow Super Giants’ head coach this IPL season, recalled a chat with franchise skipper and a senior member of the Indian team Rahul.

Never say never, but…

“You never say never. And the pressure of doing it in India… I was talking to KL (Rahul) and he said, ‘You know, if you think there’s pressure and politics in an IPL team, multiply that by a thousand… (that’s) coaching India,” said Langer.

“That was a good bit of advice, I guess. It would be an amazing job, (but) I have (put myself out of contention),” he added.

Before taking up the assignment with Super Giants this year, Langer had coached Australia from May 2018 to February 2022, helping the team navigate a difficult period in the aftermath of the infamous ball-tampering scandal.

Under Langer’s guidance, Australia lifted its first-ever T20 World Cup title and also went on to win the Ashes.

“I also know that it’s an all-encompassing role, and having done it for four years with the Australian team, honestly, it’s exhausting. And that’s the Australian job!,” the 53-year-old said.

The BCCI has invited fresh applications for the head coach position, with a deadline set for May 27 as Rahul Dravid is set to exit after the T20 World Cup.

A no-show by Mumbai Indians (MI) batters nudged the side closer to the brink of elimination and gifted a four-wicket victory to Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in their Indian Premier League match at the Ekana Cricket Stadium here on Tuesday.

On a day when India announced the T20 World Cup side, its captain, vice-captain, and No. 4 fell for only 14 runs in Mumbai’s meagre display with the willow.

Rohit Sharma started with an inventive paddle sweep off Mohsin Khan but sliced the next delivery to the cover fielder.

Suryakumar Yadav followed in the same vein getting strangled down leg three deliveries after smoking a half-tracker over mid wicket. Ravi Bishnoi’s direct hit charging in from point caught Tilak Varma short of the striker’s end. Hardik Pandya’s golden duck meant the visitors hobbled to 28 for four by the end of the PowerPlay.

Ishan Kishan’s match-saving 53-run alliance with Nehal Wadhera (46, 41b, 4×4, 2×6) allowed MI some breathing time before rearguard muscle from Tim David (35 n.o., 18b, 3×4, 1×6) took it to 144 for seven.

In its pursuit, LSG needed back-to-back pull shots from Marcus Stoinis (62, 45b, 7×4, 2×6) off Gerald Coetzee in the fourth over to break the snooze that fell upon it after the early wicket of debutant Arshin Kulkarni.

Rahul took a leaf out of his partner’s book in the next over from Nuwan Thushara and pocketed 18 runs in boundaries. Stoinis reserved his onslaught for Jasprit Bumrah too, lofting the Purple Cap holder over the long-off fence in the sixth over. The LSG captain, however, perished trying to take on his counterpart Hardik Pandya, holing out at deep mid wicket.

Deepak Hooda top-edging a swat off Pandya to mid off could not slow down Marcus Stoinis either, who romped to a 39-ball fifty.

The game was in the home team’s hand when Mohammed Nabi prised out Stoinis in the 15th over. The fall of Ashton Turner and Ayush Badoni in the space of six deliveries prolonged the contest to the final over but could not prevent the inevitable.

Scoreboard

MUMBAI INDIANS

Ishan Kishan c Mayank b Bishnoi 32 (36b, 3×4), Rohit Sharma c Stoinis b Mohsin 4 (5b, 1×4), Suryakumar Yadav c Rahul b Stoinis 10 (6b, 1×6), Tilak Varma run out 7 (11b, 1×4), Hardik Pandya c Rahul b Naveen 0 (1b), Nehal Wadhera b Mohsin 46 (41b, 4×4, 2×6), Tim David (not out) 35 (18b, 3×4, 1×6), Mohammad Nabi b Mayank 1 (2b), Gerald Coetzee (not out) 1 (2b); Extras (lb-2, nb-2, w-4): 8; Total (for seven wkts. in 20 overs): 144.

FALL OF WICKETS

1-7 (Rohit, 1.3 overs), 2-18 (Suryakumar, 2.4), 3-27 (Tilak, 5.1), 4-27 (Hardik, 5.2), 5-80 (Kishan, 13.6), 6-112 (Wadhera, 17.1), 7-123 (Nabi, 18.1).

SUPER GIANTS BOWLING

Stoinis 3-0-19-1, Mohsin 4-0-36-2, Naveen 3.5-0-15-1, Mayank 3.1-0-31-1, Bishnoi 4-0-28-1, Hooda 2-0-13-0.

LUCKNOW SUPER GIANTS

K.L. Rahul c Nabi b Hardik 28 (22b, 3×4, 1×6), Arshin Kulkarni (Impact Player in place of Mayank) lbw b Thushara 0 (1b), Marcus Stoinis c Tilak b Nabi 62 (45b, 7×4, 2×6), Deepak Hooda c Bumrah b Hardik 18 (18b, 2×4), Nicholas Pooran (not out) 14 (14b, 1×4), Ashton Turner b Coetzee 5 (9b), Ayush Badoni run out 6 (6b, 1×4), Krunal Pandya (not out) 1 (1b); Extras (lb-4, w-7): 11; Total (for six wkts. in 19.2 overs): 145.

FALL OF WICKETS

1-1 (Arshin, 0.4), 2-59 (Rahul, 7.2), 3-99 (Hooda, 13.1), 4-115 (Stoinis, 14.5), 5-123 (Turner, 17.1), 6-133 (Badoni, 18.1).

MUMBAI INDIANS BOWLING

Thushara (Impact Player in place of Suryakumar) 4-0-30-1, Bumrah 4-0-17-0, Coetzee 3-0-29-1, Chawla 3-0-23-0, Hardik 4-0-26-2, Nabi 1.2-0-16-1.

Toss: LSG.

MUMBAI INDIANS

Ishan Kishan c Mayank b Bishnoi 32 (36b, 3×4), Rohit Sharma c Stoinis b Mohsin 4 (5b, 1×4), Suryakumar Yadav c Rahul b Stoinis 10 (6b, 1×6), Tilak Varma run out 7 (11b, 1×4), Hardik Pandya c Rahul b Naveen 0 (1b), Nehal Wadhera b Mohsin 46 (41b, 4×4, 2×6), Tim David (not out) 35 (18b, 3×4, 1×6), Mohammad Nabi b Mayank 1 (2b), Gerald Coetzee (not out) 1 (2b); Extras (lb-2, nb-2, w-4): 8; Total (for seven wkts. in 20 overs): 144.

FALL OF WICKETS

1-7 (Rohit, 1.3 overs), 2-18 (Suryakumar, 2.4), 3-27 (Tilak, 5.1), 4-27 (Hardik, 5.2), 5-80 (Kishan, 13.6), 6-112 (Wadhera, 17.1), 7-123 (Nabi, 18.1).

SUPER GIANTS BOWLING

Stoinis 3-0-19-1, Mohsin 4-0-36-2, Naveen 3.5-0-15-1, Mayank 3.1-0-31-1, Bishnoi 4-0-28-1, Hooda 2-0-13-0.

LUCKNOW SUPER GIANTS

K.L. Rahul c Nabi b Hardik 28 (22b, 3×4, 1×6), Arshin Kulkarni (Impact Player in place of Mayank) lbw b Thushara 0 (1b), Marcus Stoinis c Tilak b Nabi 62 (45b, 7×4, 2×6), Deepak Hooda c Bumrah b Hardik 18 (18b, 2×4), Nicholas Pooran (not out) 14 (14b, 1×4), Ashton Turner b Coetzee 5 (9b), Ayush Badoni run out 6 (6b, 1×4), Krunal Pandya (not out) 1 (1b); Extras (lb-4, w-7): 11; Total (for six wkts. in 19.2 overs): 145.

FALL OF WICKETS

1-1 (Arshin, 0.4), 2-59 (Rahul, 7.2), 3-99 (Hooda, 13.1), 4-115 (Stoinis, 14.5), 5-123 (Turner, 17.1), 6-133 (Badoni, 18.1).

MUMBAI INDIANS BOWLING

Thushara (Impact Player in place of Suryakumar) 4-0-30-1, Bumrah 4-0-17-0, Coetzee 3-0-29-1, Chawla 3-0-23-0, Hardik 4-0-26-2, Nabi 1.2-0-16-1.

Toss: LSG.

PoM: Stoinis.

LSG won by four wickets with four deliveries remaining.