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2023 polls to set tone for 2024, but will BJP get closer to ‘Cong-mukt Bharat’?

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Year 2022 was a milestone for the BJP in terms of electoral success as it secured a record breaking win in its strongest bastion, Gujarat.

The party also created a record by retaining power in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur.

It, however, failed to form government in Himachal Pradesh. The party that raised the slogan of ‘Congress-mukt bharat’, was defeated by the Congress in the hill state.

Given this, now 2023 will be crucial for the saffron party as the elections to be held in the year would decide the course of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The coming year would tell whether Congress has regained its strength or BJP’s slogan of Congress-free India is headed towards success.

Out of 10 states and Union Territories- Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana, Tripura, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram and J&K, where Assembly elections are to be held in 2023, the BJP will be engaging in direct contest with the Congress in all the states except Telangana and J&K.

The saffron party is expected to hold its national executive meeting in mid-January, 2023 to chalk out a strategy for the upcoming Assembly polls.

In Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, which are currently under the Congress rule, the BJP is attempting to oust it from power.

The BJP wants to give a jolt to both the Gandhi family and the Congress by defeating Ashok Gehlot in Rajasthan and Bhupesh Baghel in Chhattisgarh, as both these leaders are considered very close to the Gandhi family.

The saffron party faced defeat in Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh in the 2018 Assembly elections, and gained power much later due to major defection by Jyotiraditya Scindia among others in MP, and the success of Operation Lotus in Karnataka.

In order to defeat the Gehlot government in Rajasthan, the BJP has been taking out a Jan Aakrosh Yatra in all the 200 assembly seats of the state and is also preparing for a big campaign by bringing all the factions together.

The BJP is trying to unite the party divided into factions in Chhattisgarh, and taking the help of organisations affiliated to the RSS to strengthen its base in the state.

The Shivraj government and the BJP high command have been gearing up to win the elections in Madhya Pradesh.

To change the political atmosphere in Karnataka in its favour, the BJP high command removed the then Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa and made Basavaraj Bommai the Chief Minister in 2021.

Yediyurappa was then made a member of BJP Parliamentary Board Committee, party’s highest and most powerful body, in a bid to appease all factions and caste equations, and to send a political message to the people of the state.

Assembly elections are also due in Telangana where the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (formerly known as Telangana Rashtra Samithi) is in power and K. Chandrasekhar Rao is the Chief Minister.

Rao is engaged in a campaign to unite all opposition parties against the BJP across the country, while the latter is working on a strategy to defeat Rao in his home state.

In view of Assembly elections to be held in 2023 in J&K, the BJP which has a stronghold in Jammu, has been trying hard to strengthen its base in Kashmir.

In all these states, the BJP is expected to take the advantage of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity, which is why Modi will be seen engaged in more programmes and rallies in these states under the strategy for 2023.

Along with free ration being provided to more than 80 crore people, attempts will be made to spread information of the Centre’s other achievements among the people.

The party is also eyeing the Muslim votes and has been laying emphasis on preparations to seek the support of the Muslim community, especially the backward Muslims, in these elections.

The BJP high command will review its strategy by visiting Delhi and the capitals of the states where the elections will be held in 2023, several times in the new year.

These meetings will be held under the command of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP President J.P. Nadda and General Secretary B.L. Santosh.

Legislative Assembly elections are also to be held in Tripura, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Mizoram in 2023.

Tripura is currently ruled by the BJP and as part of its election strategy, the party has changed the Chief Minister in the state.

In Meghalaya and Nagaland, the BJP-backed government is in power, while in Mizoram, the Mizo National Front (MNF) is in power.

Crime

Assam road rage accused arrested, not linked to BJP: Himanta Sarma

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Guwahati, July 7: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said that the accused in the recent road rage incident in Guwahati has been arrested and clarified that the individual has no association with the BJP.

The Chief Minister’s statement came amid social media posts claiming that the accused was a BJP youth leader after a video of the alleged assault surfaced online and triggered widespread outrage.

“The accused has been arrested and is not associated with the BJP,” Sarma said in a post on social media platform X.

Reiterating the state government’s zero-tolerance policy towards such incidents, the Chief Minister asserted that strict legal action would be taken against anyone involved in acts of violence on public roads.

“Road rage has no place in Assam. Anyone who indulges in such acts will face the full force of the law,” Sarma added.

The clarification came after several social media users, including public commentators, shared a dashcam video purportedly showing a confrontation between two motorists in Guwahati.

The video allegedly captured a car owner being assaulted following an altercation on the road, prompting calls for immediate action against the accused.

The incident sparked a political debate after claims circulated online that the accused was linked to the ruling BJP.

However, the Chief Minister dismissed those allegations, stating that the accused was not affiliated with the party. Police have already arrested the accused in connection with the incident. However, officials are yet to release detailed information regarding the charges invoked or the circumstances that led to the confrontation.

The viral video has generated widespread public concern over incidents of aggressive driving and road rage in urban areas. Netizens and civil society members have urged authorities to ensure swift prosecution of those responsible and to strengthen enforcement against violent behaviour on the roads.

The Assam government has repeatedly maintained that law and order violations will be dealt with firmly irrespective of the background or affiliation of those involved.

Further investigation into the incident is underway, and police are expected to record statements of witnesses and examine the video footage as part of the probe.

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Business

Kutch Copper Ltd’s ‘Adani Copper’ becomes London Metal Exchange-registered brand

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Ahmedabad, July 7: Kutch Copper Limited (KCL), a subsidiary of Adani Enterprises Ltd, has earned London Metal Exchange (LME) certification for ‘Adani Copper,’ according to a statement issued by the company on Tuesday.

“Approval by the world centre for the trading of industrial metals validates KCL’s manufacturing excellence and responsible sourcing practices against strict global benchmarks, enabling Adani Copper cathodes to be delivered with warrants eligible for issuance against LME Copper futures contracts from July 10, 2026,” the statement said.

For the Adani Group, LME’s listing of Adani Copper as a Good Delivery brand for ‘Copper Grade A’ contracts places the brand alongside the world’s leading copper brands, conferring international recognition and market credibility on the Group’s entry into the metals sector and its emergence as a globally competitive producer of refined copper.

“Copper is the backbone of the global energy transition. Achieving LME brand status places Adani among the world’s leading copper producers and strengthens India’s role in building a resilient, responsible supply chain for this vital metal. Kutch Copper’s world-class infrastructure and ESG standards make this recognition both timely and well-deserved. It will enhance the global acceptance of Adani Copper. Apart from reinforcing India’s growing stature in the international metals industry, the registration is a landmark step towards self-reliance in refined copper,” Adani Enterprises’ CEO, Natural Resources, and Kutch Copper Ltd Managing Director Dr Vinay Prakash said.

An LME-brand certification is a rigorous process involving superior quality assurances — covering chemical composition, shape and weight — alongside strict responsible sourcing protocols. The LME listing enables Adani Copper cathodes to be placed on warrant in LME-approved warehouses, strengthening financing flexibility as LME-listed metal is recognised as a highly liquid asset that can be used as collateral. For the LME, the addition of Adani Copper broadens the exchange’s deliverable base with high-quality cathode from a major new production hub, deepening the liquidity and geographic diversity of the global copper market.

The $1.2 billion Kutch Copper facility with production capacity of 0.5 million tonnes — one of the world’s largest single-location custom copper smelting complexes, designed with state-of-the-art technology, advanced process automation, and sustainability-led design principles embedded across operations — strengthens domestic supply, reduces the nation’s dependence on imported copper, and advances India’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ ambitions in a metal central to electrification, renewable energy and the energy transition, the Adani Group statement added.

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National News

Driver arrested after fatal hit-and-run that killed scooty rider in Northwest Delhi

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New Delhi, July 7: Delhi Police arrested the driver of a Mercedes car in connection with a fatal hit-and-run accident that claimed the life of a 29-year-old scooty rider near the Jahangirpuri Bus Stand on the Outer Ring Road in northwest Delhi, officials said on Tuesday.

The accident took place on July 5 near the Foot Over Bridge at the Jahangirpuri Bus Stand on the GTK Bypass stretch towards ISBT. Police said they received information about a road accident in which a scooty rider had sustained serious injuries. The victim was rushed to Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial (BJRM) Hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead.

The deceased was identified as Deepak, a resident of Mangolpuri in Delhi.

According to Delhi Police, the investigation gained momentum after a PCR caller informed officers that a Mercedes car bearing registration number HR-51BT-6304 had hit the scooty before fleeing the spot.

“The vehicle was traced, and after serving notice under Section 133 of the Motor Vehicles Act to the registered owner, it was revealed that Ansh Pratap Singh was driving the vehicle at the time of the incident,” Delhi Police said.

Based on the findings of the investigation, police registered FIR No. 436/2026 at Jahangir Puri Police Station under Sections 281 and 106(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), dealing with rash or negligent driving and causing death by negligence.

“The accused driver was identified and arrested. Further investigation is in progress,” Delhi Police said.

Police are also examining the circumstances leading to the accident and collecting additional evidence, including CCTV footage and witness statements, to establish the sequence of events.

The arrest comes after investigators tracked down the luxury vehicle using its registration details provided by the eyewitness who alerted the police through the PCR helpline. Officials said further legal proceedings will be carried out as the investigation continues.

Delhi Police have not yet disclosed whether the accused was under the influence of alcohol or whether any additional charges may be invoked, stating that the investigation is still underway.

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