Friday, December 26, 2025

Arvinder Singh Lovely takes oath as pro-tem Speaker of Delhi Assembly

By
Tehelka Bureau
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New Delhi: BJP MLA Arvinder Singh Lovely took oath as the pro-tem Speaker of the Delhi Assembly on Monday and will chair the proceedings during the first sitting of the legislature.

Delhi Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena administered the oath to the Gandhi Nagar MLA at Raj Niwas.

Four-time legislator Arvinder Singh will perform the duties of the Office of the Speaker till the new Speaker is elected.

In a notification published in Delhi Gazette on Saturday, the legislative Assembly secretariat quoted an L-G’s order which said, “I hereby appoint Arvinder Singh Lovely, a member of the newly elected Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi to perform the duties of the Office of the Speaker from the commencement of the said meeting and until the new Speaker is elected.”

The LG’s order added, “I also hereby appoint Arvinder Singh Lovely to be the person before whom Members of the newly elected Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi shall make and subscribe oath or affirmation in accordance with the provisions of section 12 of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991.”

The CAG reports are also expected to be placed on the table of the House on February 25.

Vijender Gupta, a three-time legislator and three-time councillor who has been designated by the BJP to be the next Speaker, had said the proposal to call a three-day session of the legislature – February 24, 25 and 27 – was approved by the Delhi Cabinet in its first meeting on Thursday.

He said since the CAG reports, including the one pointing to lapses in the now-withdrawn excise policy, have already been received in the office of the Speaker of the outgoing Assembly, these will be the first to be taken up by the new House.

The CAG reports are expected to expose the alleged financial mismanagement of the previous AAP governments led by Arvind Kejriwal.

The excerpts of a few CAG reports that managed to reach the public domain revealed a revenue loss of over Rs 2, 026 crore due to irregularities in the Delhi government’s excise policy.

Lalu Prasad Yadav Criticises PM Modi’s Bihar Visit

By
Tehelka Bureau
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Patna:  Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Chief Lalu Prasad Yadav criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Bihar, suggesting that it is politically motivated ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections.

In a social media post, Yadav stated, “The Prime Minister is in Bihar today, so there will be a shower of lies and statements in Bihar. It is an election year, so to confuse people, the foundation stone and inauguration of the central government’s schemes across the country will now be done from Bihar in a sham form, but Bihar will not get anything.”

During his visit to Bhagalpur, Prime Minister Modi released the 19th instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme, providing financial assistance to farmers nationwide and around 77 lakh farmers of Bihar will also benefit from it.

The event drew significant attendance, including Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and approximately 500,000 farmers.

In response to Lalu Prasad Yadav’s remarks, Janata Dal (United) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar defended the Prime Minister’s visit, emphasising the developmental initiatives undertaken by the “double engine” government in Bihar.

He dismissed Yadav’s comments as baseless, asserting that the people of Bihar are aware of the progress made under the current administration referring to the collaboration between the state and central administrations.

He said that such progress is unsettling for the opposition, leading them to make “fact-less statements.” Kumar also pointed out that Lalu Prasad Yadav, due to his legal convictions, is barred from contesting elections and has been politically side-lined, implying that his criticisms may not hold substantial weight.

“Lalu Prasad Yadav, who was politically house arrest by his son Tejashwi Yadav and not allowed to go into Karyakarta Darshan Sah Samvad Yatra. He was not allowed to contest elections due to a conviction by a court of law and he is reacting to the Prime Minister’s visit,” Kumar said.

Shivraj Chouhan slams Air India over broken seat

By
Priyanka Tanwer
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Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday raised questions on the services of Tata Group owned Air India and slammed the aviation company for betraying the passengers.

The minister said that his impression was that Air India’s service would have improved after Tata took over the management, but it turned out to be his misconception.

He flagged the issue on micro blogging site X after he was allotted broken and sunken in seat while he was travelling to Delhi from Bhopal for inaugurating the Kisan Mela in Pusa.   

“Today I had to come from Bhopal to Delhi, inaugurate the Kisan Mela in Pusa, hold a meeting of the Natural Farming Mission in Kurukshetra and discuss with the honourable representatives of the Kisan Organisation in Chandigarh. I had booked a ticket on Air India flight number AI436, I was allotted seat number 8C. I went and sat on the seat, the seat was broken and sunken in. It was uncomfortable to sit,” he wrote.

“I don’t care about discomfort in sitting but it is unethical to make passengers sit on bad and uncomfortable seats after charging them full amount. Isn’t this cheating the passengers?” he raised the question.

Meanwhile Air India was quick to respond with an apology and asked time to meet the minister for the same.

“Dear Sir, we apologize for the inconvenience caused. Please be rest assured that we are looking into this matter carefully to prevent any such occurrences in the future. We would appreciate the opportunity to speak with you, kindly DM us a convenient time to connect,” Air India stated.

According to the minister, the management was aware of the broken seat and asked not to sell tickets for that.

“When I asked the airline staff why the seat was allotted to me if it was bad, they told me that the management had been informed earlier that this seat was not good and its ticket should not be sold. There is not just one such seat but many more,” he said.

The two-day Krishi Vigyan Mela started today at the Pusa campus in New Delhi.  

Last month, a passenger alleged that he and his minor son were downgraded from business class to economy on an Air India flight. He claimed their seats were reassigned to a crew member.

Last year, another passenger claimed that the business class seat allotted to him on an Air India flight from New Delhi to Newark was unclean and worn out.

Rekha Gupta okays Ayushman Bharat Scheme, clears pending CAG reports

By
Priyanka Tanwer
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Delhi’s newly sworn-in Chief Minister, Rekha Gupta, held her first key meeting with the council of ministers on Thursday evening, swiftly approving the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme. This decision comes after the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government had declined to roll out the scheme in Delhi.

The Ayushman Bharat initiative, which has been successfully adopted in all states except West Bengal and Delhi, will now be extended to the national capital, providing health insurance coverage to millions of residents. The move was part of Gupta’s efforts to push for reforms and improve healthcare access in the city.

During the meeting, Gupta also addressed the issue of 14 pending Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reports, announcing that these would be tabled in the upcoming session of the Delhi Assembly. The reports highlight large-scale financial discrepancies, including a notable one regarding the renovation of the Delhi Chief Minister’s official residence at 6 flag staff Road. Initially budgeted at Rs 7.61 crore in 2020, the project’s cost surged to Rs 33.66 crore by April 2022, marking a staggering 342% increase. This report has been a point of contention, with both the BJP and Congress accusing former CM Arvind Kejriwal of mismanaging public funds.

Gupta’s cabinet also discussed the financial assistance scheme for women, a promise made by the BJP during the election campaign. The Rs 2,500 monthly aid, however, still requires further deliberation with officials from the Women and Child Welfare Department (WCD) to finalize the details.

In a related development, the Delhi Chief Secretary recently directed the Health Department to prepare a Cabinet note for the implementation of Ayushman Bharat. Under this scheme, people aged 70 and above are entitled to an annual insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh, regardless of their income. The BJP has emphasized the benefits of the scheme, especially for elderly citizens, contrasting it with the AAP government’s Delhi Arogya Kosh, which they argue offers limited coverage.

Rain and snow bring relief to Jammu and Kashmir, disrupt traffic

By
Riyaz Wani
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Jammu and Kashmir experienced much-needed rain and snowfall on Thursday, breaking a prolonged dry spell across the region.

The fresh weather conditions, however, led to traffic disruptions on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway. Snow accumulation near the Navyug tunnel temporarily blocked traffic, while shooting stones added to the challenges faced by commuters.

Traffic resumed on Friday morning, allowing light motor vehicles to pass from both directions. Despite this, several key routes, including the SSG Road, Bhaderwah-Chamba Road, Mughal Road, and Sinthan Road, remain shut due to snow.

Rain began early Thursday and intensified throughout the day. By evening, snowfall had covered parts of south Kashmir and higher reaches of Ramban, Doda, and Kishtwar districts. The snowfall continued into Friday morning in Gulmarg and other high-altitude areas of the Kashmir Valley, before the weather began to clear later in the day.

According to the India Meteorological Department, dry weather is expected to continue until February 24. Another round of rain and snowfall is forecast to begin from February 25.

Challenges before Rekha Gupta after becoming CM

By
Priyanka Tanwer
-

Rekha Gupta has taken oath as New Delhi chief minister and promised to deliver promises for the welfare of people. However, the road does not seem to be smooth.

As BJP takes over from AAP which has ruled the city for the past 10 years, to form a new government in the national capital, there are several challenges that lie ahead of Gupta.

Poll Promises

One of the major challenges that lie ahead of the newly elected chief minister are the big ticket promises that the party had made during the elections in its manifesto including Rs 2500 to every woman in the city.

The party had promised to provide this amount to every woman in Delhi from March 8 on International Women’s Day. During the election rally Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured of the promise and said “this is Modi’s guarantee”.

Along with this, the party has also promised to provide Rs 25000 to every pregnant woman in the city.

In order to fulfill these promises, the CM administration has to come up with a system to disburse this amount within a few weeks which will put pressure on the government.

Clean Yamuna

Another promise made by the BJP was cleaning of Yamuna which has become a pressing issue in the national capital in the dearth of clean drinking water.

The government has started the initial work on the cleaning of the river but there is so much more to do within the promised three years of governance.

According to the sources, the Yamuna cleaning is only possible when the industrial waste and water is treated. There is an urgent need to manage the waste and water coming from unauthorized colonies that goes directly into the river.  

Air Pollution

Delhi chokes every year during the winter season due to heavy and thick smog that covers the entire city. The outgoing AAP government had been struggling with the issue due to stubble burning and vehicular emission.

The government has to shift its focus on the long term solution to improve the air quality of the city by promoting electric vehicles, and increasing green cover.

Maintaining Fiscal Stability

The welfare schemes including free water, electricity, healthcare, and improved education have been the secret of Arvind Kejriwal’s success in Delhi. The BJP, too, has promised similar welfare measures in its Sankalp Patra (manifesto).

While experts have time and again flagged the issue of budget in the Delhi government during the tenure of Arvind Kejriwal, Gupta’s administration must strike a delicate balance between fulfilling social welfare commitments and ensuring fiscal prudence to avoid straining the economy.

While the Delhi Budget analysis by experts for 2024-25 estimates a revenue surplus, it’s also 35 per cent lower than the revised estimate for 2023-24, and the fiscal deficit is targeted at Rs 6,565 crore.

Civic Issues

The government has heavily criticized the outgoing government for the poorly maintained roads and infrastructure of Delhi. It has time and again said that the AAP government has not done enough for the city and this was the reason it is in a poor condition.

Around 792 million gallons of sewage is being produced every day and only 667 million gallons can be treated by existing facilities, leading to untreated wastewater entering the Yamuna River. This would put more pressure on the government administration to increase the capacity of the sewage treatment.

NHRC takes suo motu cognizance of the reported death of 2 while cleaning a septic tank in Nandigram

By
Charanjit Ahuja
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The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognizance of the media report that two persons died and two others of the same family got injured after inhaling toxic gas while cleaning a septic tank in Nandigram Block of Vekutia village in Purba Medinipur district, West Bengal.

The Commission has observed that the contents of the media report, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of the human rights of the victims. Therefore, it has issued notices to the District Magistrate and the Superintendent of Police, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal calling for a detailed report within two weeks.

The report is expected to include the status of the investigation of the cases as well as compensation, if any paid to the next of kin of the deceased persons.

According to the media reports carried on 16th February, 2025, the person who first entered the septic tank to clean it cried for help after inhaling poisonous gas. Hearing his cries, three of his family members rushed to rescue him but they also inhaled the toxic gas and lost consciousness. All four were rushed to the hospital but only two of them survived.

Why Parvesh Verma lost out despite defeating Kejriwal

By
Priyanka Tanwer
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Photo: Naveen Bansal

In the 2025 Delhi assembly elections, BJP’s Parvesh Verma managed to secure a surprising victory over former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, marking a significant moment in the city’s political landscape. However, despite this high-profile win, Verma found himself grappling with several political hurdles that eventually prevented him from capitalizing on the momentum of his victory.

One of the major factor why he could not win the CM post can be the ideology of the party that does not support the dynasty culture within the party and often seen criticizing Opposition parties including Congress, Samajwadi Party, and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) for promoting dynastic politics in the party.

Verma is the son of former chief minister and BJP leader Sahib Singh Verma, who has cut short his journey to the CM’s chair. Had the party selected Verma for Delhi CM, the BJP would likely have conceded an opening for attacks to the Opposition.

Where Rekha Gupta who has been appointed as new chief minister of Delhi has maintained a low-key profile, away from media despite her long political career and not muddling in any controversies, Verma’s controversial remarks and aggressive campaigning have at times worked against him. He has drawn flak for public comment.

Meanwhile, Gupta’s closeness with RSS has played a vital role in her victory and journey to the CMs’ position. RSS has backed the party in recently held assembly polls that compelled the party to choose RSS’s candidate for the Chief Minister’s post.

According to the sources, Gupta had a strong backing of the RSS ever since the results of the polls were announced. The Sangh had expressed complete confidence in her and had also conveyed the same to the BJP leadership.

Verma closely contested the race against Kejriwal, a victory that many expected to propel him to greater political heights. Yet, despite his win, Verma’s rise in Delhi politics has not been as smooth as many had anticipated.

Where he was expected to be the first choice for the post of chief minister ever since he had defeated Kejriwal from New Delhi constituency, the appointment of Rekha Gupta, a first time MLA from Shalimar Bagh, has come as a surprise for the party workers and supporters of Verma.

Verma was backed by the fact that the winning candidate from New Delhi constituency has often ascended to the CM’s chair. However, his political lineage might have become a hurdle for him and he was appointed as Deputy to Rekha Gupta.

 While Parvesh Verma’s victory over Arvind Kejriwal was a momentous occasion, his failure to gain further political traction in the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections reflects the complexities of Delhi’s political ecosystem. Internal party challenges and his controversial public image have all played a role in limiting his potential to ascend further in the political arena. Despite his win, Verma’s broader ambitions continue to face significant obstacles.

Rekha Gupta becomes fourth woman to take oath as Delhi CM

By
Priyanka Tanwer
-

Rekha Gupta, a former president of the Delhi University Students’ Union on Thursday took oath as the fourth woman chief minister of Delhi, ending a almost two week nail-biting suspense.

BJP’s Sushma Swaraj, Congress’s Sheila Dikshit, and Aam Aadmi Party’s Atishi had been chief ministers of the national capital before Gupta.

The 50-year-old, who is a first-time MLA from Shalimar Bagh, defeated AAP candidate Bandna Kumari by over 29,000 votes on February 8. Notably, Gupta contested the Shalimar Bagh seat in both the 2015 and 2020 Delhi elections but was defeated by AAP’s Bandana Kumari in both years.

“I express my heartfelt gratitude to all the top leadership for trusting me and entrusting me with the responsibility of the post of Chief Minister. This trust and support of yours has given me new energy and inspiration. I pledge that I will work with full honesty, integrity and dedication for the welfare, empowerment and overall development of every citizen of Delhi. I am fully committed to this important opportunity to take Delhi to new heights,” Gupta wrote in Hindi on X, shortly after the party made the announcement on Wednesday evening.

Born in Haryana’s Jind district in 1974, Rekha Gupta’s father served as the former bank officer in SBI.

In 1992 she joined ABVP and her political activities during her student years bagged her chair of Secretary of Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU). Later she became the president of DUSU. She was very fond of RSS during her early years of life which led her to join BJP in 2002.

She also served as the Secretary of Dyal Singh College and was deeply engaged in student activism, which propelled her further into public life.

She has served as national secretary of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha between 2002 and 2005.

Gupta was elected as a councillor in the MCD elections in 2007 from North Pitampura. She went on to serve as chairperson of the women welfare and child development committee during 2007 and 2008.

She has also served in several key positions including chairperson of the education committee in NDMC, National General Secretary, Mahila Morcha.

In her affidavit submitted to the election commission, she has mentioned that she has done LLB from Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut in 2022 and B.Com from Daulat Ram College, Delhi University in 1992.

BJP has won 48 seats and Aam Aadmi Party has won 22 seats in the recent Delhi Legislative Assembly polls, which has led the BJP to come back into power in the national capital after 27 years. 

BJP’s payback to Bania community for solid support in Delhi

By
Nitin Mahajan
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Photo: Naveen Bansal

The appointments to Delhi’s Cabinet clearly reveal that the Bharatiya Janata Party has tried to payback the Bania community for its solid support to the saffron party over the decades. 

Out of the nominations for eight posts, seven ministers in the Rekha Gupta cabinet and Speaker of the Assembly, three have been cornered by the economically and socially dominant Bania community in the national capital.

Rekha Gupta the Chief Minister, Ashish Sood as Minister and Vijender Gupta as Speaker of the Delhi Legislative Assembly are part of this payback for the community.

Sources stated that the community has received the major chunk of significant positions in the new government as it has steadfastly stood behind the BJP in the national capital over the past several decades, even during the peak popularity of Aam Aadmi Party-led by Arvind Kejriwal.  Interestingly, though Arvind Kejriwal also hails from the Bania community, he was unable to dent this core vote base of the BJP in the national capital.

The BJP hopes that this accommodation is expected to boost the political standing of the saffron front in the national capital as the community is further likely to cement its support for the saffron party. Over the past several decades the community has also been accommodated in the BJP’s organizational set up in the national capital. Several of the past chiefs of Delhi BJP have also hailed from the community.    

Being economically and socially upwardly mobile, the BJP has been maintaining a tight grip over the community’s vote bank and has maintained a close contact with the caste’s leaders.

BJP has won 48 seats and Aam Aadmi Party has won 22 seats in the recent Delhi Legislative Assembly polls.

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