National News

FairPoint: Rahul-Priyanka aggressive street shows in Oppn power game

Published

60 minutes ago

October 11, 2026

New Delhi, Oct 11: It has been amusing to watch how the Gandhi siblings have been conducting themselves of late. From elbowing and pushing police personnel to dangling from a bus, they seem to have suddenly discovered a more aggressive style of politics.

Rahul Gandhi and his Congress party have rarely been respectful in their words about Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The PM has long been a target of the Gandhis and other Congress leaders, who have often used the harshest language against him. Now, the confrontation has moved beyond words. They are taking to the streets, getting into scuffles with police personnel, attempting to enter government offices, lying on roads and shouting at security personnel. This resembles the CJP style of protest, which was first witnessed in July, following which the then Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned.

But there is more to this street aggression than what meets the eye. Congress is not just fighting the BJP on the streets. It is also trying to establish its position within the Opposition, where several leaders have their own ambitions and political bases. With the BJP firmly occupying the number one position in national politics, the battle for number two is becoming increasingly interesting.

Rahul Gandhi is the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, but that does not automatically make the Congress the undisputed leader of the Opposition camp. There are regional leaders who have built their own political bases and are not necessarily willing to play second fiddle to the Gandhis.

Take Arvind Kejriwal, for instance. The AAP chief has his own style of politics and has repeatedly positioned himself as a challenger to the BJP. During the CJP-led protest in July, Kejriwal and other AAP leaders backed the agitation at Jantar Mantar, while the Congress organised its own protest on the NEET issue.

And, in the latest protest against the Election Commission, the AAP did not attend the recent Congress-led Opposition meeting and march to President Droupadi Murmu. This absence is significant in the context of the Congress’ attempt to take the lead in the Opposition camp.

While Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are trying to keep Congress at the centre of the political conversation, Kejriwal has his own political identity and calculations to protect. The two parties may share opposition to the BJP on several issues, but that does not mean they will always stand together on every political platform.

Akhilesh Yadav, too, has his own political calculations. The Samajwadi Party chief is preparing for the 2027 Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, where his party has a much stronger organisational presence than Congress. He joined Rahul Gandhi and other INDIA bloc leaders in the recent march towards the Election Commission, but his immediate political priority remains Uttar Pradesh. Congress may want to project itself as the national face of the Opposition, but Akhilesh Yadav cannot afford to ignore his own state-level ambitions.

This is where the competition becomes interesting. Rahul Gandhi wants to lead the national Opposition campaign, Kejriwal wants to retain his independent political identity, and Akhilesh Yadav has to protect and expand his own political space. Other regional leaders have their own ambitions as well. They may come together to protest against the government, but when it comes to leadership, seat-sharing and the next election, each party has its own interests to protect.

The Gandhi siblings, therefore, have reasons to remain in the spotlight. Street protests provide an opportunity to project themselves as fighters, take on the government directly and keep Congress at the centre of the political conversation. The cameras capture every confrontation, and social media ensures that the images travel far beyond the site of the protest.

There is, of course, nothing wrong with political leaders taking to the streets. Protests are an essential part of democracy, and opposition parties have every right to question the government, challenge its decisions and demand accountability. But a protest does not automatically become more effective simply because it is louder, more aggressive or produces better television footage. The question is what these demonstrations eventually achieve for Congress or the wider Opposition.

The latest bypoll results have shown that Congress still has a long way to go. It lost the Nagaon Lok Sabha seat in Assam, which it had won previously, while the BJP registered significant victories in Assam and West Bengal. These results do not settle allegations of vote theft, but they do underline the political challenge before Congress. It has to do more than keep an issue alive through protests; it must also convince voters and build electoral support.

Politics in the country has never lacked drama. Leaders have courted arrest, staged sit-ins, marched to government offices and confronted the police for decades. What has changed is the speed with which every moment becomes a clip for social media. A political argument that takes several minutes to explain can be reduced to a few seconds of elbowing, pushing or dangling from a vehicle. The more dramatic the scene, the greater its chances of going viral.

The Gandhi siblings, too, seem to have fallen for the temptation to turn political protest into theatre. But there is a difference between being seen fighting for a cause and actually making progress. A viral moment can bring attention overnight, but political credibility takes much longer to build.

With seven states scheduled to go to the polls in 2027, the competition within the Opposition is likely to intensify. Uttar Pradesh will be particularly important, given the Samajwadi Party’s position and Congress’ desire to expand its political space. Punjab and Goa will test the AAP, while other parties will have their own electoral battles to fight. Each will want to demonstrate its relevance, claim a larger role and ensure that it is not pushed to the margins.

So, the street action is unlikely to stop soon. There will be more protests, more confrontations and plenty of opportunities for dramatic visuals. The question is whether all this will help the Opposition build a common political alternative or simply intensify the competition among its own leaders.

With the competition for the number two position getting fiercer, Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi may have plenty more street action in store. Kejriwal, Akhilesh and other Opposition leaders will also be looking to protect their own political space. But the ultimate test of political strength comes from the people.

Liking, disliking or reposting a reel is one thing; pressing the button in the voting booth is quite another. When that moment comes, it is the voters, not the cameras or social media, who have the final say.

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Gujarat Police nab three more accused in Punjab’s Mad Sandhu murder case

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National News

Regime change certain in 2027: Akhilesh lashes out at BJP, Election Commission

Published

33 minutes ago

October 11, 2026

Mumbai Press

Lucknow, Oct 11: The Samajwadi Party (SP) Chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday asserted that a change of power was certain in 2027 Assembly elections and criticized the Election Commission (EC) over alleged police action on the protesters in the national capital.

Speaking to the press, after paying respects to Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan at the Jayaprakash Narayan International Centre (JPNIC) in Lucknow on latter’s birth anniversary, the SP supremo said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will be shown the door by people in 2027 Uttar Pradesh polls and the ‘partisan’ Election Commission won’t be able to save its ‘sinking’ fortunes.

Swearing by the Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan (JP)’s ‘Total Revolution’ (Sampoorna Kranti) slogans, Akhilesh Yadav said that the movement remains relevant even today for challenging the regime and his party will bring out the ‘desired’ result by walking down that path.

“The process of change has begun. The anguish among the public will accelerate the process of change,” he added, after garlanding the statue of Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan at the memorial.

The SP supremo also took a swipe over Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over the Ayodhya seat, days after he challenged the latter to contest the elections from the holy city.

Responding to the Chief Minister’s questions regarding Ayodhya, Akhilesh Yadav said that “arrogant individuals” would not be able to withstand the strength of his ‘PDA’ (Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak—Backward, Dalit, and Minority) alliance.

The SP Chief said that the public is now familiar with the BJP’s politics and the party will have to give befitting reply to its actions.

He claimed that a change would occur in 2027 and that the process has already begun.

He said that the BJP is rattled by political strength of the PDA and questioned the role of Election Commission.

He said that EC’s duty is to encourage maximum voter participation and ensure a smooth voting process.

Raising the issue of the alleged assault on residents of Uttar Pradesh in Delhi, Akhilesh Yadav questioned the Election Commission’s accountability and demanded its resignation.

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Crime

Newlywed poisons husband, 3 family members in Maharashtra Jalgaon

Published

41 minutes ago

October 11, 2026

Mumbai Press

Jalgaon, Oct 11: A shocking incident has come to light in Maharashtra Jalgaon district, where a newlywed woman attempted to kill her husband and three members of his family by mixing rat poison into their food just two days after their wedding, officials said on Sunday.

Police have arrested two women, including the bride, who were allegedly attempting to flee after the incident. The case came to light after the affected family members fell ill, prompting police to launch an investigation into the suspected poisoning and the circumstances surrounding the women’s disappearance.

The incident took place in Velhane village in Parola taluka of Jalgaon district. According to officials, the couple got married on October 7, and the alleged poisoning occurred on October 9, the third day of their wedding celebrations.

Police said the bride allegedly mixed rat poison into the food prepared for her husband and his family members. After the food was consumed, she reportedly left the house with another woman, taking some jewellery and the money received during the wedding with her.

The incident came to light when members of the family began experiencing health problems after consuming the food. The elders of the house were subsequently admitted to a government hospital in Dhule for treatment, officials said.

After receiving information about the suspected poisoning, police reached the spot and initiated an investigation into the incident.

The incident triggered anger among the family members and local residents, who gathered outside the police station and blocked the road. They demanded that the two women be arrested and that appropriate charges be filed against them.

The police intensified their efforts to locate the accused. The two women, who were allegedly trying to escape, were eventually detained near Nimgul village in Dhule district, officials said.

After their arrest, preliminary details emerged about the accused women’s backgrounds. Police found that the bride, identified as Suman Subhash Sahni, was a resident of Jharkhand. The other woman, identified as Aarti Suryaksh Patel, was also reportedly from Jharkhand.

It was also reported that the man had married Suman after paying Rs 2.5 lakh.

Police are investigating the allegations and gathering further details to establish the exact circumstances of the incident.

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Crime

Gujarat Police nab three more accused in Punjab’s Mad Sandhu murder case

Published

55 minutes ago

October 11, 2026

Mumbai Press

Ahmedabad/Valsad, Oct 11: The Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and Valsad Special Operations Group (SOG) have arrested three men wanted in connection with the murder of social media influencer and makeup artist Madhu Sudan Singh alias Mad Sandhu, who was shot dead in Punjab Amritsar earlier this month.

The three accused, identified as Harsimranjit Singh alias Simu Singga, Fateh Singh and Arman Singh, were detained in Vapi in Valsad district following a joint operation by the state police units.

According to the Gujarat ATS, Mad Sandhu was shot dead by two unidentified persons near a car washing centre on Lorahka Road in Amritsar on October 3.

“A case was subsequently registered at Cantonment Police Station in Amritsar City,” officials said.

The ATS received information about the suspects from senior officials of the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) in Punjab, who shared details of the case with their counterparts in Gujarat.

Following instructions from senior officers, an investigation was initiated under the supervision of Superintendent of Police (SP) K. Siddharth, with Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) Harsh Upadhyay and Police Inspector Krupesh Patel leading the investigation.

The inquiry revealed that the three men allegedly involved in the murder were in Vapi.

Harsimranjit Singh, Fateh Singh, and Arman Singh, are all originally from Sange village under Sadar Police Station in Tarn Taran district of Punjab.

Given the possibility that the suspects could leave the area, the ATS shared their profiles, location details and other relevant information with the Valsad SOG.

Police Inspector D.D. Parmar and his team subsequently detained all three men in Vapi.

A Gujarat ATS team comprising Police Inspector J.N. Chavda, Police Sub-Inspector M.L. Solanki, Police Sub-Inspector K.R. Patel, Police Sub-Inspector V.B. Khant and other personnel then brought them to the ATS office for questioning.

“During interrogation, investigators gathered details about the alleged roles of the three accused in the murder, the reconnaissance conducted before the shooting and other aspects of the case,” the ATS said.

The Punjab Police was subsequently informed of their detention.

On October 10, a Punjab Police team arrived at the Gujarat ATS office, took custody of the three accused and transported them to Punjab for further legal proceedings.

The investigation into the murder is being pursued by the Punjab Police.

Earlier, the Ahmedabad Crime Branch arrested Parminder Prasad alias Parminder Kaka, the alleged main shooter in the murder, in the Vadaj area of Ahmedabad on October 8, following an input from the Amritsar Police.

According to Crime Branch officials, Parminder allegedly opened fire on Mad Sandhu and arranged the motorcycle used in the attack.

Punjab Police subsequently took him to Amritsar for further investigation, while investigators were also probing the suspected links of the killing with the network of foreign-based gangster Goldy Dhillon.

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