Rajya Sabha News

Janata Dal United MLA from Rupauli Bima Bharti resigned from the party's primary membership on Saturday. Following her resignation, she joined the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and expressed her readiness to contest the Lok Sabha polls from Purnia if her new party permits. «People of Purnia are ready to vote for us. I will contest Lok Sabha polls from Purnia if my party asks me to,» the former Bihar Minister said. Adding to the political dynamics, sources say that former Bihar Chief Minister and RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav's daughters, Rohini Acharya and Misa Bharti, are likely to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Rohini Acharya is expected to contest from Saran, while Misa Bharti may run from the Pataliputra constituency.

Mizoram, there is likely to be a multi cornered contest. Opposition Mizo National Front (MNF) has fielded Rajya Sabha member, K.

NDA government, K. Vanlalvena, Mizoram's lone Rajya Sabha member, on Saturday leveled a serious allegation against BJP leaders, claiming they are striving to transform India into a Hindu kingdom. Vanlalvena, who was named by the opposition Mizo National Front (MNF) as their nominee for the upcoming elections to the state's lone Lok Sabha seat, told reporters that the NDA is an alliance formed by various parties, not all of which share the ideologies of the BJP. «Some BJP leaders with vested interests are trying to turn the country into a Hindu kingdom. The NDA is likely to retain power at the Centre in the upcoming polls. If the NDA government takes steps, which are against the interest of the religious minorities, including Mizo Christians, I shall oppose it vociferously both within and outside Parliament,» the 54-year-old MNF leader said. However, Vanlalvena commended the NDA government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for its contributions to economic development in the country.

Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien on Friday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of behaving like a «tin-pot dictator,» and said the BJP-led Centre was arresting opposition leaders in its desperation to secure win in the upcoming elections. «The Prime Minister is behaving like a tin-pot dictator, arresting opponents, election agents, transferring state government officials… Changing rules in desperation to win seats… Why?» said O'Brien, who is in Delhi for a meeting of opposition INDIA bloc leaders with the Chief Election Commissioner, a day after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate. INDIA bloc parties are rallying behind Kejriwal, with the TMC making its first appearance with the opposition alliance partners since seat-sharing talks with Congress in West Bengal failed, and it announced going solo in the Lok Sabha polls. «The Director General of Police (DGP) West Bengal was changed thrice in 24 hours… Why wasn't the ED director changed?» the TMC Parliamentary Party leader in Rajya Sabha said.

Ashok Chavan who recently quit Congress to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has dismissed Rahul Gandhi’s assertion about his breakdown in front of Sonia Gandhi, saying that the comments made by the Wayanad MP are “baseless" and “factually incorrect". Terming the remarks a “political stunt", the BJP MP from Rajya Sabha said, "He (Rahul Gandhi) has not taken any name, however, if he wants to make any remarks on me, it is illogical and baseless... It is also a lie that I have met Sonia Gandhi in Delhi.

Delhi court has directed Tihar Jail officials to take Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh, who is arrested in the excise scam case, to Parliament on Tuesday to enable him to take oath as a Rajya Sabha member. Special Judge M K Nagpal directed the jail superintendent to ensure adequate security during Singh's movement. «The Jail Superintendent concerned is directed to ensure that accused is taken to Parliament on 19.03.2024 under adequate security for the purpose of making and subscribing of oath as a Member and after the oath, he is also brought back to the jail safely,» the judge said. In an order passed on March 16, the judge said that during the visit Singh will not be permitted to use mobile phone or talk with any other accused, suspect or witness in this case, or in the connected case of the CBI.

Infosys, has gifted his four-month-old grandson Ekagrah Rohan Murthy with shares of the company worth ₹240 crore. This in effect likely makes the infant India's youngest millionaire. Young Ekagrah now holds 15,00,000 shares, equivalent to a 0.04 percent stake, in India's second-largest information technology services company, as per a filing with the BSE.

Narendra Modi and 34 Union Ministers featured in the first list. However, at least 33 members of parliament (MPs) were dropped. Prominent names in the second list include nine Union Ministers, including Nitin Gadkari, Piyush Goyal, Anurag Thakur and Prahlad Joshi.

Kriti Singh Debbarma as the party candidate for Tripura East (ST) Lok Sabha seat. The BJP earlier nominated former Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, who is currently the Rajya Sabha member, for the West Tripura Lok Sabha seat. The Central Election Committee (CEC) of BJP on Wednesday declared its second list of 72 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and Debbarma, a former royal scion of Tripura and a social activist, is also one of the nominees. Debbarma is the elder sister of Tipra Motha Party (TMP) supremo and former royal scion Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barman.

Piyush Goyal is all set to take the plunge in the rough and tumble of electoral politics as the BJP's candidate from Mumbai North in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. A three-term Rajya Sabha member, Goyal (59) has been in the thick of politics since his teenage years when he campaigned for his mother, late Chandrakanta Goyal, for the Maharashtra Assembly election. Ved Prakash Goyal, Piyush Goyal's father, was an old-time RSS worker who worked closely with Sangh stalwarts Balasaheb Deoras, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L K Advani. The Goyal home at Sion in central Mumbai was a beehive of political activity, with veteran leaders opting for it as a residence of choice when visiting the metropolis. Piyush Goyal, known largely by his pet name «Happy», had the task of escorting leaders around Mumbai. The formal alliance of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiv Sena was also struck at the Goyal residence after a meeting between Sena supremo Balasaheb Thackeray and Vajpayee in 1984.

simultaneous polls headed by former president Ram Nath Kovind is likely to submit its report on 'one nation, one election' on Thursday, it is learnt. Though there was no official word yet, sources said the report could be submitted to President Droupadi Murmu. The panel may recommend amending at last five articles of the Constitution to enable holding of simultaneous polls in the country. The proposed report would also focus on having a singular electoral roll for holding Lok Sabha, state assembly and local body polls.

Nagpur. Earlier today, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray again asked Gadkari to leave the BJP if he is being "insulted". Thackeray said that Sena (UBT), the Maharashtra opposition, would ensure his victory in Lok Sabha elections.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday named Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar of the Mysore royal family from Mysuru Lok Sabha seat in the second list of candidates for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The saffron party replaced the two-term sitting MP Pratap Simha with the US-educated YKC Wadiyar of the Mysore royal family. Wadiyar is the adopted son of Pramodadevi Wadiyar, whose late husband Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar had also represented the Mysore Lok Sabha seat four times in the 1980s and 1990s.

Modi government notified the Citizenship (Amendment) Act's (CAA) rules, preparing for its implementation. With this move, GoI makes it easier for minorities from neighbouring countries who came to India before December 31, 2014, to become citizens of this country.

Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday said that it had attached ₹10.29 crore of Trinamool Congress, in the form of a demand draft tendered by the party, during an investigation into alleged money laundering by Alchemist Group and others. The federal probe agency alleged that around ₹10.29 crore was used by Alchemist Group—accused in the money laundering case—for making payments to aviation companies on behalf of the TMC during the campaigning for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Yusuf Pathan, the former Indian cricketer who played 57 ODIs and 22 T20Is for India between September 2007 and March 2012, has ventured into politics. He has been named as the Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate from West Bengal's Berhampore seat for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Pathan, 42, is expected to face Congress' Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, a vocal critic of TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, who has held the seat since 1999. Cricket to Politics: Pathan's Political Journey Hailing from Gujarat's Vadodara, Pathan is renowned for his cricketing career, particularly with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He joins a list of Indian cricketers who have transitioned into politics, including Gautam Gambhir, Kirti Azad, Navjot Singh Sidhu, Manoj Tiwary, Mohammed Azharuddin, and Chetan Chauhan, among others.

Sharad Pawar, who heads the NCP (SP), on Saturday declared MP Supriya Sule as their candidate from Maharashtra's Baramati Lok Sabha seat, amid speculation that Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's wife Sunetra Pawar could be fielded from there. The octogenarian leader made the announcement during a rally organised by the opposition bloc Maha Vikas Aghadi in Bhor tehsil of Pune district. Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut of Shiv Sena (UBT), an MVA constituent, was also present at the event. The Election Commission will announce the Lok Sabha poll schedule on March 14 or March 15, said Sharad Pawar. The EC has allotted «man blowing turha (a traditional trumpet)» symbol to his outfit. «The elections will decide the future of our country. Nobody was so anxious about the future of the country so far, but now a change is needed. Today, PM Modi is not paying any attention towards farmer suicides. Instead, he is focussing all his attention only on Gujarat,» he said.

Congress Central Election Committee has cleared the first list of about 60 party candidates for the Lok Sabha polls, including Rahul Gandhi from his sitting seat Wayanad. The list is expected to be released on Friday or Saturday. The CEC will decide the question of Rahul Gandhi also contesting from Amethi when it takes up the proposals for Uttar Pradesh later. After the CEC meeting ended late Thursday night, party sources said almost all 15 sitting Congress MPs of Kerala will fight again this time. The only exception may be in Thrissur from where sitting MP TN Pratapan could be replaced by sitting MP of Vadakara K Muralidharan. This as seen as a precaution against late Congress veteran K Karunakaran's daughter Padmaja Venugopal, joining BJP and reinforcing the party's best bet Sureshgopi's chances in Thrissur. The political heavyweight Muralisharan is the son of Karunakaran besides being a former PCC president. Another significant decision is CEC clearing the proposal of AICC general secretary (org) K C Venugopal, now a Rajya Sabha member, returning to fight from his Alappuzha seat. But if the leaderdhip once again asks Venugopal to focus on AICC organisational matters during election campaign, the seat will go to his nominee from the state Youth Congress.

CBI) on Wednesday filed a supplementary chargesheet in the land-for-jobs case against three individuals, said people in the know. Those chargesheeted include Bhola Yadav, the then officer on special duty to RJD supremo Lalu Prasad when he was the Union railways minister. Besides Bhola Yadav, two candidates (including a woman), who allegedly secured jobs illegally in the railways by giving away their parcels of land to Lalu and his kin, have also been chargesheeted by the CBI. The fresh supplementary chargesheet covers the central wing of the railways department, said people quoted above. The CBI, in the fresh supplementary chargesheet, has submitted that Bhola Yadav played a crucial role in «facilitating» the land-for-jobs case. A hard disk was recovered from Bhola Yadav's computer during CBI raids in August 2022.

Gandhinagar, Former Gujarat Congress chief and ex-MLA Arjun Modhwadia along with the party's former working president Ambarish Der joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday, a day after they quit the grand old party. The two leaders joined the saffron party at its state headquarters 'Kamalam' here along with several others. State BJP chief C R Paatil inducted them into the party by offering them saffron caps and scarves. The two leaders resigned on Monday expressing anguish over the party's decision to «boycott» Lord Ram temple consecration ceremony held in Ayodhya in January. Interestingly, both leaders announced their decision to quit the Congress just three days ahead of the scheduled entry of Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Gujarat. Days before Der and Modhwadia quit Congress, the party's Rajya Sabha member and former Union minister Naran Rathwa joined the ruling BJP along with his son and a large number of supporters.

195 candidates released last weekend was Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who has been fielded from Thiruvananthapuram, a seat in Kerala considered Congress leader Shashi Tharoor’s stronghold. While Congress has yet to announce its candidate from the constituency, if they choose to field Tharoor again, it will be one of the high-profile contests in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections 2024. Fielding Chandrasekhar is part of BJP’s aim to make inroads in Kerala, where it had failed to win any seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.