Raja Singh hints at tussle within BJP over Jubilee Hills bypoll candidate
T Raja Singh
has stirred the pot again with remarks hinting at internal conflicts within the
BJP
over party candidate for bypoll for Jubilee Hills seat. The seat has fallen vacant following the death of BRS MLA Maganti Gopinath on Sunday.
Raja Singh said that the BJP might choose its candidate for the Jubilee Hills by-election based on caste dynamics, while wondering if the party would ignore caste and instead prefer to pick a senior leader.
Claiming that MIM had sold Muslim votes to the BRS during the last election, he sought to know if this time the party would sell them to Congress or the pink party.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
33 minutes ago
- Hans India
Cong will win 100 MLA seats in next polls: CM Revanth
Hyderabad: Exuding confidence, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Friday assured the party high command that the Congress party in Telangana would win not less than 100 MLA and 15 MP seats in the next polls. Describing the party leadership from village level to top level as party's 'brand ambassadors', the CM said their heartbeat reflected the gusto of winning even in the next Assembly polls and confidence of sending at least 15 MPs from the state to form the Congress government at the Centre. Addressing the Samajika Nyaya Samara Bheri meeting attended by village level party leaders and cadre at the LB Stadium, the CM promised AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, who was the chief guest at the meeting, that Telangana would contribute its part for the Congress to form the government at the Centre. 'These village presidents and mandal presidents have come from across Telangana, including from tribal areas. By reading their heartbeats, I promise on their behalf that we shall not only come to power in Telangana for the second time in a row with 100 MLAs but also send 15 MPs to Delhi. Take forward my message to Soniaji and Rahulji,' he said in Hindi, to cheers and applause from the crowd. The CM urged the partymen to counter the 'poisonous campaign' being spread by the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) through social media. He said the intensity should be such that their 'social media fortress' should be shattered into pieces. He assured the partymen at different levels of 'doing justice', if they work hard in the upcoming local body polls. While pointing out the likelihood of delimitation of the Assembly constituencies, Revanth Reddy said that there would be opportunities for top performers to become MLAs as Telangana would get many additional MLA seats. He also highlighted the possibility of women reservation getting implemented by the next polls and assured to support women candidates and asked them to groom themselves to grab the chance. Over the issues of new recruitments in his government, the Chief Minister challenged the Opposition leaders for an open debate. 'I shall apologise by bowing to their feet if they prove that the government has failed to provide employment to 60,000 people. I will bring all of them to the LB Stadium and if the headcount is less than that figure, I am ready to bow to Kishan Reddy, KCR and KTR,' he affirmed, referring to Union Minister G Kishan Reddy, BRS president K Chandrashekar Rao and BRS working president KT Rama Rao.
Hans India
an hour ago
- Hans India
Call for ‘review' of Constitution an assault on its foundational ethos
At a time when the Indian Constitution hailed globally as a model of democracy has completed 75 years of its progressive journey, fresh calls to 'review' it are nothing short of a veiled assault on its foundational ethos. The Sangh Parivar's demand for a reassessment of secularism and socialism within the Constitution is, in essence, an attempt to dismantle the safeguards extended to the marginalised, oppressed, and minority communities in India. The inclusion of the terms 'Secular' and 'Socialist' in the Preamble of the Constitution through the 42nd Amendment in 1976 was a visionary move by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Recognising India's complex social fabric marked by diversity in culture, religion, caste, and tradition she courageously acted to enshrine principles that uphold equality and justice for all citizens, regardless of background or belief. These terms were not ornamental additions but essential pillars of a truly inclusive republic. Secularism, as framed in the Indian Constitution, ensures that the State maintains equidistance from all religions, guaranteeing every citizen the right to practise, propagate, and profess their faith without fear or favour. Simultaneously, socialism was envisioned to promote social and economic equity ensuring equitable distribution of land and resources, challenging entrenched landlordism, and creating a level playing field for the socio-economically disadvantaged. However, forces steeped in caste supremacy and majoritarian ideology those who idolise Manusmriti have long harboured resentment toward these constitutional guarantees. RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale calling for a review of secular and socialist values in the Constitution is a blatant revelation of the Sangh Parivar's true intentions. Their agenda is not reform but re-engineering of the Republic itself, to align with a hegemonic, exclusivist vision. It is not the first time that BJP-RSS leaders have made controversial remarks on the Constitution. Last December, Union Home Minister Amit Shah made dismissive comments about Dr BR Ambedkar, the chief architect of the Indian Constitution, from in the Parliament. Rather than taking disciplinary action, Prime Minister Narendra Modi defended Shah, reinforcing the BJP's authoritarian disposition. These developments triggered a nationwide outcry, with the Rahul Gandhi-led INDIA alliance launching protests under the banner 'Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan,' aimed at awakening the collective conscience of the nation's marginalised. The Congress party's grassroots campaign to safeguard the Constitution resonated across the country, contributing significantly to BJP's underwhelming performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Despite contesting under the grand slogan 'Ab ki Baar, 400 Paar', the BJP was confined to just 240 seats. The electorate's verdict was a clear rejection of the party's veiled attempts to subvert constitutional values. The Sangh Parivar's strategy appears systematic and persistent. In a shocking move on September 19, 2023, when MPs the new Parliament building printed copies of the Constitution that were distributed to them deliberately omitted the words 'Secular' and 'Socialist' from the Preamble. This omission provoked sharp condemnation from Sonia Gandhi and other opposition figures. The move was widely seen as a symbolic assault on the very soul of the Republic. Compounding the anxiety are developments in BJP-ruled states, where religious polarisation is increasingly rampant. The marginalised, especially Muslims, are being pushed into fear and uncertainty. The dilution of the Places of Worship Act (1991), amendments to the Waqf Board laws, and bulldozer politics in Uttar Pradesh all highlight a governance model rooted in communal vendetta. In Manipur, the ethnic violence since May 2023 and Modi's deafening silence and absence from the conflict zone illustrate the apathy towards regions in crisis, particularly when minorities are affected. The Congress, meanwhile, has demanded the immediate implementation of caste census, a move aimed at reinforcing socialism by ensuring just representation in political, educational, and economic spheres. Though the Modi government reluctantly agreed to it, any delay or politicisation of the process would only reinforce concerns of systemic exclusion. The Supreme Court had last November rejected the petitions filed by BJP leaders, including Subramanian Swamy, seeking the removal of 'Secular' and 'Socialist' from the Preamble. Yet, the ideological onslaught continues unabated, revealing the Sangh Parivar's deep-rooted antipathy to constitutional morality. The need to defend secularism and socialism has never been more urgent. The threat posed by the Sangh Parivar and the BJP is not just to these two values, but to the entire constitutional framework. What we are witnessing is not mere ideological difference, but an orchestrated campaign to dismantle the Republic's pluralist character. Rahul Gandhi, through his relentless 'Bharat Jodo Yatra,' has managed to galvanise public opinion against these regressive forces. The Congress, under his leadership, has transformed defence of the Constitution into a national movement. The 'Jai Samvidhan' rallies across the country have been instrumental in educating people about the BJP's constitutional subversion. It is time for all democratic forces, political parties, civil society groups, intellectuals, and ordinary citizens to unite beyond political lines and resist this existential threat. The Constitution is not a document of the past. It is the very foundation of our shared future. If we fail to defend it now, we risk surrendering our democracy to forces that neither understand nor respect its values. (The writer is Chairman, Rajiv Gandhi Panchayati Raj Sanghatan, Telangana)
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
Today in Politics: Uddhav, Raj Thackeray to hold joint ‘victory' rally after Maharashtra govt reverses policy on Hindi
For the first time in 20 years, estranged cousins Uddhav and Raj Thackeray will share the stage on Saturday at a joint 'victory' rally organised by the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) to celebrate the BJP-led Mahayuti government's rollback of two contentious government resolutions (GRs) on the three-language policy in Maharashtra. Calling it 'Marathi Vijay Diwas', the parties had initially planned separate protest marches against the state government's three-language policy in schools, which the Opposition termed as an 'imposition of Hindi'. Facing mounting pressure, ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly's Monsoon Session, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis revoked the GRs, which introduced Hindi as a third language in primary schools. The first GR had made Hindi the mandatory third language for students from Class 1 to 5, while the second one made it optional. The CM also announced the formation of a committee to reexamine the three-language policy. On Friday, as the government sought to recover from the withdrawal of its GRs, Fadnavis said no one in the state should be targeted for not knowing Marathi, days after MNS workers assaulted a shopkeeper for not speaking in Marathi. Fadnavis's remarks came a day after his administration issued a resolution announcing that October 3 would be celebrated annually as 'Classical Marathi Language Day'. With the elections to the high-profile Mumbai civic body and other municipal corporations due in the coming months, a potential rapprochement between the Thackeray brothers on the sensitive issue of the Marathi identity is being keenly watched in state political circles. Raj Thackeray, nephew of late Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray, had resigned from the then undivided Shiv Sena in 2006, apparently due to differences with Uddhav. Of late, however, the Thackerays have come closer together, signalling a possible alliance in the forthcoming civic polls. But Raj Thackeray, particularly after a meeting with Fadnavis, had sparked further speculation of an alliance with the BJP. While a Thackeray reunion could help consolidate the Marathi votes and tap into the emotional connect of older voters who long for the Bal Thackeray era, the BJP views the MNS as a strategic disruptor that draws support from the same Marathi-speaking electorate that forms the Sena (UBT)'s core voter base. Though the Sena (UBT) and MNS are coming together for the joint rally on Saturday, where they will likely present a united front on the issue of Marathi identity, it remains to be seen if the parties form an alliance for the local body elections and beyond. Amit Shah in Gujarat Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who also holds the cooperation portfolio, is set to visit Gujarat's Anand, where he will lay the foundation stone of the country's first national level cooperative university, the Tribhuvan Sahkari University, on Saturday. Gujarat CM Bhupendrabhai Patel and Assembly Speaker Shankar Chaudhary will also be in attendance, along with other Union and state ministers. – With PTI inputs
