Days after Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena announced its decision to contest the BMC polls independently, NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Thursday said that the “INDIA alliance is only focused on national-level elections.”

While speaking about the impending local polls, the former union minister said, “There has never been any discussion on state and local elections within the INDIA alliance. The INDIA alliance is solely for national-level elections. Regarding the upcoming municipal elections in Maharashtra, everyone will decide within 8-10 days, through a meeting, whether we will contest together or independently.”

Pawar’s statement comes days after Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut announced on Saturday that his party would contest all local body elections independently.

“Uddhavji Thackeray has given us a clear indication. From Mumbai to Nagpur, we will contest local self-government elections on our own strength. Whatever happens, we want to see the outcome,” the Shiv Sena-UBT leader told the media.

Pawar also expressed his views on the Delhi Assembly elections, stating that, in his opinion, the INDIA alliance should support Arvind Kejriwal.

Pawar reportedly rubbished Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s remarks that the BJP’s victory in the Maharashtra assembly polls ended the politics of betrayal and treachery.

“I was the chief minister in 1978. I am not aware about his whereabouts then,” Pawar told reporters in Mumbai. “When I was the chief minister, there were people like Uttamrao Patil from Jan Sangh in my ministry,” Pawar added.

New Delhi: Congress MP Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday marked the anniversary of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra with a sharp critique of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s response to the ongoing crisis in Manipur.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Jairam highlighted the government’s neglect of the state, pointing out that despite global travels, the Prime Minister has yet to visit Manipur or meet with its political leaders, including members of his own party.

Tweet Of Congress Leader Jairam Ramesh

“Today, exactly a year ago, the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra was launched by the Indian National Congress from Manipur. The BJNY followed in the wake of the historic Kanyakumari to Kashmir Bharat Jodo Yatra and covered 6,600 kms going through 15 states, culminating in Mumbai on March 16, 2024,” he recalled.

“Manipur still awaits a visit by the Prime Minister, who has found the time, inclination, and energy to go all over the world – but has not seen it necessary to reach out to the distressed people of Manipur. He has steadfastly refused to meet with political leaders of Manipur, including his own party legislators and the CM himself,” the Congress leader added.

Jairam Ramesh also mentioned that the “agony of Manipur” has continued unabated since May 3, 2023.

“Just a few days back the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth, and Sports was asked to put off its proposed study tour to the state,” he said.

Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi On The Incidents Of Violence In Manipur

Earlier, on Monday, Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi said that the incidents of violence in Manipur continue but security forces were working to bring in peace.

“In Manipur, cyclic incidents of violence are continuing but security forces are working to bring in peace. Enhanced surveillance and dominance over the Myanmar border are on. Fencing is also in progress,” Dwivedi said.

The violence between the Meitei and the Kuki communities in Manipur erupted after a rally by the All Tribal Students Union of Manipur (ATSUM) on May 3, 2023, following the Manipur High Court order directing the state to consider the inclusion of the Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribes list.

New Delhi, Jan 14: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP ) convenor and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said this election will probably expose the “hidden partnership” of the BJP and Congress.

Taking to social media platform X, Kejriwal reacted to the attacks by BJP and the Congress party.

While reposting a tweet of Amit Malviya, who is in charge of BJP’s National Information & Technology Department, Kejriwal wrote in Hindi, “…I said just one line about Rahul Gandhi and the reply is coming from the BJP. See how much the BJP is feeling. Perhaps this Delhi election will expose the jugalbandi (partnership) going on behind the scenes between Congress and BJP for years…”

It all started on Monday with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s rally in the national capital’s Seelampur area, where he targeted both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal. He accused them of making false promises. He said there was no difference between the two leaders and they did not want the backward, Dalits, tribals and minorities to get their due.

Gandhi hailed the work done under the Sheila Dikshit government and asserted that neither Kejriwal nor the BJP could match the Congress’ track record.

The Congress leader later posted on X, “Just like Modi Ji makes false promises and propaganda one after the other, Kejriwal Ji also has the same strategy – there is no difference!”

No sooner than Rahul Gandhi completed his event, Kejriwal took to social media and said, “Today Rahul Gandhi came to Delhi. He abused me a lot. But I will not comment on his statements. His fight is to save Congress, my fight is to save the country.”

This was commented upon by Amit Malviya, who said that Kejriwal should now worry about the constituency from where he is fighting the election. “Worry about the country later, save your New Delhi seat now,” Malviya wrote on X.

With Rahul Gandhi’s rally, the Congress has kick-started its campaign aggressively in the national capital. The AAP and Congress, which fought the election as allies in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, have taken separate ways in the Delhi Assembly polls. Their Lok Sabha partnership ended in a debacle as the BJP won all the seven seats.

In the run-up to the Delhi Assembly elections, the three main contenders — AAP, BJP and Congress — are engaging in bitter political fights, targeting each other over issues ranging from corruption and free welfare schemes, like free water, power, education, health and bus travel.