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The Hindu
05-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Congress should be strengthened at grassroots to keep fascist forces away, says TNCC president
The Congress should be strengthened to defeat fascist and communal forces that are working overtime to gobble Tamil Nadu in the 2026 Assembly elections, according to Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K. Selvaperunthagai. Addressing a party meeting here on Saturday to accelerate formation of village Congress committees in every hamlet of Tirunelveli district, Mr. Selvaperunthagai said INDIA Bloc had set the target of winning more than 200 Assembly segments in Tamil Nadu in the 2026 Assembly elections, and this could be achieved only if the Congress was strong enough at all levels. Hence, 21,000 village committees were being formed across the State, each with a president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer and 10 committee members. If the Congress was strengthened before the polls, no one could ignore it and its cadre's dream of getting more Assembly seats and more positions in local bodies would get realised, he said. 'Even though Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP are working hard to wipe out the Congress, the party that created a new India from scratches after Independence, is still alive and vibrant enough to rule three States despite the sinister designs of the RSS and its BJP,' he said. Nanguneri MLA and TNCC treasurer Ruby R. Manoharan, who has formed village Congress committees in all villages of his Assembly constituency, said the resounding victory of INDIA Bloc in the 2026 Assembly elections would herald the elimination of Modi-led 'autocratic governance'. Killiyoor MLA Rajesh Kumar said the Congress was still active in Tamil Nadu due to the party cadre even though it lost its power in 1967. 'If we strengthen the party at the village level, we can take on the miserably failed autocratic administration of the Narendra Modi-led government. Moreover, we can fight for the welfare of the villages by getting its due share for creating due infrastructure in rural areas,' he said. Former MLA and Congress restructuring committee president S. Peter Alphonse said the formation of village committee would give the much-needed opportunity to identify the party's strengths and weaknesses and take appropriate remedial measures. Tirunelveli MP C. Robert Bruce urged the TNCC president to get a minimum of two Assembly segments in Tirunelveli district for the Congress in the 2026 Assembly elections.
Hans India
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Bihar rolls revision: INDIA Bloc and ECI meeting scheduled for tomorrow called off
New Delhi: A meeting scheduled between the INDIA Bloc and Election Commission of India (ECI) officials over Bihar Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is unlikely to take place on Wednesday due to lack of confirmation from the political outfits' side, sources in the poll panel said on Tuesday. ECI insiders confirmed that after putting in a request for an appointment on Wednesday, the parties appear to have backed out of the meeting. 'The Commission sought confirmation from these political parties for a meeting on July 2 at 5 p.m. However, the Commission has not received any confirmation so far. Hence, the meeting of July 2 had to be deferred,' said an official source. Shedding light on the chain of events, the ECI insider said, 'An email was received on June 30 from a legal counsel of AICC, seeking an urgent appointment with the Election Commission for July 2 regarding SIR of Bihar on behalf of many political parties, by representing himself as a counsel of multi-party delegation.' Last month, the ECI commenced an SIR of the electoral rolls aimed at verifying the eligibility of every voter in Bihar ahead of the November-December Assembly election. Under the SIR, the ECI is reinforcing its booth-level workforce by appointing 20,603 additional Booth Level Officers (BLOs), augmenting the current strength of 77,895 BLOs across the state. Over 1 lakh volunteers have also been roped in to assist genuine electors, especially senior citizens, the disabled, the sick, the economically disadvantaged, and other vulnerable groups. All recognised national and state political parties have appointed 1,54,977 Booth Level Agents (BLAs) to aid in the revision process, with the option to appoint more agents as the work progresses. Enumeration Forms (EFs) are being distributed door-to-door and are also available online for Bihar's 7.89 crore registered electors across 243 Assembly constituencies. Out of these, around 4.96 crore electors, who were registered as of January 1, 2003, need only to verify their details and submit the EF. The ECI has also uploaded the 2003 Electoral Roll of Bihar, comprising details of 4.96 crore electors, on its website as a measure to facilitate the ongoing SIR. Highlighting that nearly 60 per cent of the total electorate in the state would not have to submit any documents, the official said in a statement that these voters can verify their details from the 2003 Electoral Rolls and submit the filled-up Enumeration Form. Both the electors as well the Booth Level Officers (BLOs) would be able to readily access these details, he said. The uploading of the 2003 Electoral Roll on the ECI website – - would hugely facilitate the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar, said the statement. The ECI said District Magistrates and Divisional Commissioners are overseeing the deployment of BLOs, who are now working full-time on the revision exercise. Additionally, the ECI is reaching out to voters through SMS campaigns targeting over 5.74 crore registered mobile numbers in Bihar.
Time of India
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Highway blockade today to protest against Shaktipeeth
Kolhapur: The state is bracing for traffic disruptions as the Shaktipeeth Highway Virodhi Sangharsh Samiti — supported by INDIA Bloc parties and the Retired Govt Employees and Teachers Association — will stage a highway block protest across 12 districts. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The agitation, coinciding with Maharashtra Agriculture Day, aims to bring highway traffic to a standstill in Wardha, Yavatmal, Hingoli, Nanded, Parbhani, Beed, Latur, Dharashiv, Solapur, Sangli, Kolhapur, and Sindhudurg. The protest stems from the state cabinet's recent approval of a substantial Rs20,787 crore to fast-track the Maharashtra Shaktipeeth Highway (High Speed Expressway) project. This project seeks to connect Pawanar (Wardha district) in eastern Maharashtra to Patra Devi (Sindhudurg district) on the Maharashtra-Goa border. Highway authorities have already started land mapping and surveys for acquisition, reportedly under police protection, which has fuelled opposition from farmers. This swift action, despite farmer objections, has directly led to the call for the highway blockade. Farmers' leader and former MP Raju Shetti has issued a stern warning to political representatives and sugar mill owners in Kolhapur and Sangli districts. He urged them to publicly clarify their position on the Shaktipeeth Highway, stating that "time will not forgive them" if they fail to do so. Shetti, while speaking to the reporters on Monday, said, "If you are true, then you don't have to fear the govt. This highway is being created only to make a scam worth Rs50,000 crore. The people's representatives of Kolhapur and Sangli districts, and especially the sugar millers, should clarify their stance against Shaktipeeth; otherwise, time will not forgive them." Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In Kolhapur district, the Pune-Bengaluru National Highway will be blocked at the Panchaganga Bridge in Shiroli. In Sangli district, the protest will be held at Ankali Phata on the Nagpur-Ratnagiri National Highway. Meanwhile, the police department has planned traffic diversions to avoid inconvenience to the commuters due to the protest. Inspector Nandkumar More of the city traffic branch, while talking to TOI, said, "All vehicles moving towards Pune from Kagal side will be diverted from Ujlaiwadi bridge and will proceed via Shahu Toll Naka, Tararani Chowk, SP Office Chowk, Kasba Bawda, Shiye Phata, and then towards Pune." He added, "The same road will be used for vehicles arriving from Pune to move towards Kagal and Karnataka side. The traffic diversions will be in place from Tuesday 8am until the protest ends."
Hans India
04-06-2025
- General
- Hans India
United Oppn demands spl Parl session on Op Sindoor
New Delhi: In a significant move, 16 Opposition parties from the INDIA Bloc have written a joint letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to convene a special session of Parliament to deliberate on the recent Pahalgam terror attack, Operation Sindoor, and other key national security issues. While the opposition has extended support to the government's actions against terrorism, it has also stressed the importance of transparent and strategic discussions within the framework of Parliament. 'Our demand has been consistent -- a special session of Parliament should be called, not only to express gratitude to our armed forces for their bravery and sacrifice, but also to allow the government to present its comprehensive stance on the matter,' the Congress said in a statement following a meeting of INDIA bloc leaders. Addressing the media, Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda elaborated on the parties' concerns: 'We expect the government to speak on issues such as Operation Sindoor, the recent ceasefire announcement by the US, diplomatic efforts to isolate Pakistan globally, and a concrete strategy to uproot terrorism. Parliament is the voice of 140 crore citizens -- this is where such matters must be addressed.' Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien emphasised the constitutional responsibility of the government to keep Parliament informed. 'The government is accountable to the Parliament, and Parliament is accountable to the people. That is why 16 parties have signed this letter, demanding a special session,' he said. The parties that signed the letter include Congress, SP, AITC, DMK, Shiv Sena (UBT), RJD, J&K NC, CPI(M), IUML, CPI, RSP, JMM, VCK, Kerala Congress, MDMK, CPI (ML).
Hans India
03-06-2025
- General
- Hans India
INDIA Bloc writes to PM Modi, demands special Parliament session on Operation Sindoor
New Delhi: In a united move, 16 opposition parties from the INDIA Bloc have written a joint letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to convene a special session of Parliament to deliberate on the recent Pahalgam terror attack, Operation Sindoor, and other key national security issues. While the opposition has extended support to the government's actions against terrorism, it has also stressed the importance of transparent and strategic discussions within the framework of Parliament. 'Our demand has been consistent -- a special session of Parliament should be called, not only to express gratitude to our armed forces for their bravery and sacrifice, but also to allow the government to present its comprehensive stance on the matter,' the Congress said in a statement following a meeting of INDIA bloc leaders. Addressing the media, Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda elaborated on the parties' concerns: 'We expect the government to speak on issues such as Operation Sindoor, the recent ceasefire announcement by the US, diplomatic efforts to isolate Pakistan globally, and a concrete strategy to uproot terrorism. Parliament is the voice of 140 crore citizens -- this is where such matters must be addressed.' Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien emphasised the constitutional responsibility of the government to keep Parliament informed. 'The government is accountable to the Parliament, and Parliament is accountable to the people. That is why 16 parties have signed this letter, demanding a special session,' he said. The parties that signed the letter include Congress, SP, AITC, DMK, Shiv Sena (UBT), RJD, J&K NC, CPI(M), IUML, CPI, RSP, JMM, VCK, Kerala Congress, MDMK, CPI (ML). Additionally, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), though not a signatory to the joint letter, has sent a separate communication to the Prime Minister echoing the same demand. The meeting of the INDIA Bloc leaders was held in New Delhi's Constitution Club to discuss these pressing matters. Earlier, 200 MPs from the Lok Sabha signed a letter to PM Modi calling for convening a special session of Parliament to discuss the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor, which took place in its aftermath
