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2023 will be as much of a test for Oppn as for the BJP

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Nine states — Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Rajasthan, Telangana — and one Union Territory, Jammu and Kashmir, are slated to go to polls and these election results will have an impact on the Lok Sabha elections in 2024.

The elections in J&K would be significant too as these would be the first after abrogation of Article 370.

Of all the states, the Congress is in power in two — Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh — while the BJP and allies have government in the four northeastern states, as well as in Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. In Telangana, the BRS is in power and will face a more structured BJP in the state.

The state elections are crucial for the Congress as a win will give confidence to its cadres and also will place it in a leadership role in the opposition. The big major states which go to polls are these states where the BJP has big numbers among the MPs, be it Rajasthan, Karnataka, or Madhya Pradesh.

Karnataka

The year will start with major elections in Karnataka, held by the BJP. In the 2018 elections, no party got a majority, and BJP’s B.S. Yediyurappa was sworn in as Chief Minister but he had to resign after not being able to manage the numbers. The Congress and the JD-S coalition formed the government but after 14 months, Yediyurappa bounced back with help of defecting MLAs from both parties but later, he was removed and Basavaraj Bommai took over as Chief Minister.

The Congress wants to win back the state and during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, both the factions of ex-Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and state chief D.K. Shivakumar showed united a face but the rivalry between two could harm the party prospects.

Rajasthan

This is another troubled state for Congress with two factions of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot have been at loggerheads since 2018 when Congress defeated the Vasundhara Raje-led BJP government, becoming the single largest party with 100 seats in the 200-member house.

In 2023, there will be a direct fight between the BJP and the Congress, but will depend on the how the parties go into the elections – whether divided or united. The state has a history of not repeating governments, and to break this chain, the Congress faces a big burden.

Chhattisgarh

After 15 years of BJP rule, the Congress managed victory in Chhattisgarh. There were three claimants of the Chief Ministership but the party settled for Bhupesh Baghel and the other group led by T.S. Singhdeo is now pushing for change.

A year ahead of the polls, Congress has appointed Kumari Selja as state incharge as the state has highest OBC population.

The unity in Congress will play a major role in determining if it holds its central Indian bastion.

Madhya Pradesh

This state will see whether veterans like Kamal Nath and Digvijaya Singh could defeat the BJP after losing power due to the revolt by Jyotiraditya Scindia in early 2020. The last elections in 2018 led the Congress emerging as the single largest party but a bit short of a majority in the 230-member house.

The Congress had won 114 seats and won power with the support of Samajwadi Party’s sole MLA, Bahujan Samaj Party’s 2 MLAs and 4 Independents. Kamal Nath took charge as the Chief Minister but 22 sitting MLAs from the Congress, loyal to Scindia, defected and joined the BJP. This led to the fall of the Congress government and BJP’s Shivraj Singh Chouhan returning as the CM again in 2020.

Telangana

The BJP in this state is hoping high as the party has replaced Congress in taking on TRS/BRS government in the state. Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao won the second Assembly election in the newly-carved state in 2018, bagging 88 of the 119 seats. Defections later, took it past 100.

His Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), now called the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) is looking to come to power for a third consecutive term in the 2023 Assembly polls, but faces headwinds as the BJP is making a determined bid. Trouble is further arising after the name of KCR’s daughter K. Kavitha surfaced in the Delhi excise policy scam and allegations arose that the BJP is trying to topple government by poaching MLAs.

J&K

J&K could see first Assembly polls after Abrogation of article 370. The delimitation of the constituencies have put the BJP in strong position in Jammu region, while the Valley could see the PDP, the NC and Ghulam Nabi Azad’s party fight among themselves. If the opposition in the state does not unite, it could be another state where the BJP could gain power.

National News

241 dead, one survivor as Air India Dreamliner crashes after takeoff from Ahmedabad: Air India

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New Delhi, June 13: In what is being described as one of the worst aviation disasters in Indian history, an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner carrying 242 people crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport.

The aircraft, operating as Flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, plunged into a residential complex near BJ Medical College, killing 241 people on board.

The ill-fated flight had 230 passengers, 10 cabin crew, and two pilots. According to officials, only one person, a British national of Indian origin seated in 11A, survived the crash and is currently undergoing treatment at a local hospital.

The aircraft took off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1.38 p.m. (IST) on Thursday before losing control moments later and crashing into a densely populated area, igniting a massive blaze and triggering emergency response teams across the city.

Air India confirmed the accident in an official statement on X: “UPDATE: Air India confirms that flight AI171, operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick on 12 June 2025, was involved in an accident. The 12-year-old Boeing 787-8 aircraft departed from Ahmedabad at 1338 hrs, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew. The aircraft crashed shortly after take-off. We regret to inform that, of the 242 aboard, there are 241 confirmed fatalities. The sole survivor is being treated in a hospital.”

The airline also shared the nationality breakdown of passengers: 169 Indian nationals, 53 British, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian.

“Air India offers its deepest condolences to the families of the deceased. Our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of all those affected, their families and loved ones. A team of caregivers from Air India is now in Ahmedabad to provide additional support,” the statement added.

The national carrier has pledged full cooperation with authorities investigating the cause of the crash and has established dedicated helplines for families seeking information.

Domestic callers can reach the support team at 1800 5691 444, while international callers are advised to dial +91 8062779200.

Regular updates will be provided through Air India’s official website and its X handle.

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Plastic nurdle spill from sunken cargo ship reaches TN’s Dhanushkodi sanctuary, raising alarm

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Chennai, June 10: A plastic nurdle spill from the sunken cargo ship MSC ELSA 3 has spread into the newly declared Dhanushkodi Greater Flamingo Sanctuary in Ramanathapuram district, threatening one of India’s most fragile coastal ecosystems.

The MSC ELSA 3, a Liberian-flagged vessel, sank off the Kochi coast a few weeks ago while carrying 640 containers, including 13 with hazardous materials, 12 with calcium carbide, 367 tonnes of furnace oil, and 84 tonnes of diesel.

The ship’s cargo manifest remains undisclosed, fuelling speculation about the full extent of environmental risk.

Dhanushkodi Sanctuary, located within the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve, supports 128 species of birds — including Greater and Lesser Flamingos — and is home to sea turtles, crustaceans, molluscs, and fish. Its dunes, marshes, and seagrass beds form part of the Central Asian Flyway for migratory birds.

The nurdles — tiny plastic pellets used in industrial manufacturing — resemble fish eggs and can be deadly to marine life. When ingested, they cause internal blockages, starvation, and often death. They also absorb toxins, entering the food chain and posing long-term health hazards.

About 80 bags, each weighing 25 kilograms, have reportedly washed ashore along a 12-km coastal stretch. Affected sites include the Dhanushkodi old church, Irattaithalai, Mugandharayan Chathiram, Gothanda Ramar temple, and Patchappatti village.

Carried by ocean currents from the Thiruvananthapuram-Kanniyakumari coast, the spill now threatens the adjacent Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park, home to vital coral reefs and seagrass beds.

Experts warn these habitats could be smothered by plastic debris, blocking sunlight and disrupting photosynthesis.

Ramanathapuram District Collector Simranjeet Singh Kahlon said, “We’ve identified between 15 and 30 nurdle bags along the coast. A special team has been deployed for cleanup, and additional teams are monitoring for further debris.”

He urged the public not to panic, stating that swift action was underway.

The disaster evokes memories of the 2021 X-Press Pearl incident in Sri Lanka, where 1,680 tonnes of nurdles led to mass marine deaths and crippled fisheries.

Studies showed severe impacts on plankton and larval life forms, threatening entire food chains.

Cleanup efforts in Ramanathapuram face challenges due to the nurdles’ buoyancy and small size, worsened by monsoon waves that break them into microplastics.

With the 61-day annual fishing ban nearing its end, fishermen fear reduced fish catches and consumer hesitancy could harm their livelihoods if the spill worsens.

Environmentalists are calling for urgent intervention, cargo transparency, and long-term containment measures to prevent irreversible damage to one of India’s most critical marine ecosystems.

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Eight Punjab and Haryana HC judges take lead to boost Kashmir tourism post Pahalgam terror attack

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Srinagar, June 9: To give a boost to Kashmir tourism post Pahalgam terror attack, eight judges of the Punjab and Haryana High Court are visiting the valley along with their families.

The visit of the legal personalities along with their families carries a powerful message for the revival of tourism in Kashmir, which got shattered after the Pahalgam terror attack.

On April 22, Pakistan-backed terrorists of Lashkar-e-Kashmir (LeT) killed 26 civilians, including 25 tourists and a local pony owner.

The pony owner sacrificed his life while trying to protect the tourists from the bullets of the terrorists.

The terror attack caused outrage in the entire country, and to avenge the killings of innocent civilians, the Indian Armed Forces carried out airstrikes against terror infrastructure in Pakistan under Operation Sindoor.

In retaliation for India’s attack on terrorist infrastructure, Pakistan resorted to heavy mortar shelling on civilian facilities in Poonch, Rajouri, Baramulla, Kupwara and Bandipora districts.

Eighteen civilians were killed in Pakistan shelling, 13 of them in Poonch district, in addition to the destruction of scores of homes, shops, a temple, a mosque, a church and a Gurudwara.

The itinerary of the visiting high court judges includes visits to the Mughal Gardens of Nishat and Shalimar, Shikara rides on the Dal Lake, a visit to the historic Pari Mahal and buying a few handicrafts at the local market.

There could be no better omen for the revival of tourism in Kashmir than the decision of the honourable justices of the High Court to come here along with their families.

Coinciding with the visit of these dignitaries, local tour and travel operators and hotel owners are reporting a gradual rise in the tourist bookings that had virtually stopped after the Pahalgam terror attack.

Tour and travel operators and others connected with the tourist industry have expressed hope that the visit by the most respected legal dignitaries, like the high court judges, will restore confidence among visitors, both domestic and foreign, that Kashmir is a safe tourist destination.

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