Tuesday, January 13, 2026

MVA calls Nitish Kumar ‘biggest Palturam’; exit won’t impact INDIA bloc

By
Tehelka WebDesk
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Mumbai : The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies on Monday called Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar the country’s ‘biggest Palturam’ (turncoat) and said his departure would not affect the national Opposition INDIA bloc’s prospects in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) President Sharad Pawar and AICC General Secretary Ramesh Chennithala gave strong reactions to Nitish Kumar’s “unprincipled politics” despite attending four meetings of the INDIA bloc in the last six months.

“I recall how he had invited all the Opposition leaders to Patna a few months ago and waxed eloquent on how to rein in the Bharatiya Janata Party and he was working on those lines till recently… What happened in the last eight-ten days I have no idea, ” said Pawar.

Flaying Nitish Kumar for “speaking one thing today and doing another the next day”, Chennithala said trust is very important in politics and today “he has forfeited that trust.”

Pawar said Nitish Kumar has made a record of sorts by allying with different parties twice in a single term in office as Chief Minister, by “discarding his ideology and joining the BJP” to form the government in Bihar.

“Earlier, he was with the BJP, then he joined hands with the RJD, and now again he has allied with the BJP… Such a situation has never occurred in the country before and he has set a new record, ” said Pawar.

Chennithala said that now the Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) are again contesting the elections together and will win the maximum number of seats as “the people of Bihar have realised what Nitish Kumar’s ideology and ideals are.”

The NCP supremo said that prior to this, the example of Haryana was given whenever “ayaram-gayaram” politics was discussed, but Nitish Kumar has gone much further, and “when the people go to polls, they will give a befitting reply.”

Other Maharashtra leaders like Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Sanjay Raut and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi President Prakash Ambedkar have also commented on the political upheavals that rocked Bihar during the weekend, besides posing question marks on the fate of INDIA bloc and its efficacy in challenging the BJP. 

Several leaders of National Conference in Jammu and Kashmir join BJP

By
Tehelka WebDesk
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Several leaders of National Conference in Jammu and Kashmir have joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). 

This includes Sanjeev Khajuria, the senior leader and Kathua (Rural) district president of the National Conference, who joined the BJP along with other office bearers and party members,  

Khajuria commended the impact of the Narendra Modi government’s welfare schemes at the ground level and praised the Prime Minister’s leadership on the global stage.

The development comes months before the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The joining ceremony took place at the BJP’s headquarters in Jammu, with the party’s Jammu and Kashmir unit chief, Ravinder Raina, welcoming the new members. 

Raina emphasized the BJP’s commitment to the welfare of people, regardless of region or religion, highlighting the party’s historic contributions in healthcare, education, infrastructure, and socio-economic development.

 Raina also commented on the opposition’s INDIA bloc, stating that their alliance to impede Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s welfare initiatives had failed due to the growing popularity of PM Modi. 

In a separate event, former Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Kavinder Gupta urged party workers to strengthen the party at the grassroots level for success in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Won’t contest LS polls, says Digvijaya Singh

By
Tehelka WebDesk
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Amid speculation of whether Congress stalwarts in Madhya Pradesh will contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha election, former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh has said that he was not keen on contesting the polls.

Congress veteran leader said he won’t contest the Lok Sabha election as his Rajya Sabha tenure has two more years to go. The two-time Chief Minister was elected as MP for the Upper House of Parliament in June 2020, and therefore, the six-year tenure will end in June 2026.

During an interaction with the press reporters in his home district Rajgarh on Sunday, he said, “The question of contesting the elections does not arise because I am a member of Rajya Sabha and still have over two years.”

Singh ruled out the possibility of contesting the Lok Sabha election. However, the political circle was full of speculation that the Congress may field him from Rajgarh this time. Over the past week, Singh has been taking meetings of party workers in Rajgarh, Raghogarh and Khilchipur — all these Assembly segments fall in the Rajgarh Lok Sabha constituency.

Sources in the Congress told IANS that there were very rare chances for the Congress to further give tenure as Rajya Sabha MP to Digvijaya Singh and wanted him to contest the Lok Sabha election.

Singh had contested from Bhopal Lok Sabha seat in 2019 but lost to BJP’s Pragya Singh Thakur by a margin of 3.65 lakh votes.

Rajgarh Lok Sabha seat is the home turf of Singh, who hails from the Raghogarh Assembly segment (Guna district) which falls under the Rajgarh parliamentary constituency. Singh had represented Rajgarh LS seat in 1984 and 1991.

He said the Congress party will decide the candidate for Rajgarh Lok Sabha constituency. Of the total 29 Lok Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh, the BJP holds 28 and the Congress one. In the Assembly elections held last year in the state, the Congress recorded its worst performance under Singh and another veteran Kamal Nath.

Nitish Kumar takes oath as Bihar CM for 9th time

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Tehelka WebDesk
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Patna : Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader Nitish Kumar on Sunday was sworn-in as Chief Minister of Bihar for the ninth time — hours after he dissolved his Cabinet by walking out of the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ to once again join hands with the BJP.

Bihar Governor Rajendra Arlekar administered the oath of office to Nitish Kumar during the swearing-in ceremony as the Raj Bhavan here.

Bihar unit BJP chief Samrat Chaudhary, and Vijay Kumar Sinha were named Deputy Chief Ministers.

Soon after these three leaders took oath in Raj Bhavan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated them on ‘X’.

“I want to congratulate Nitish Kumar for becoming the chief minister, and Samrat Chaudhary and Vijay Sinha for becoming deputy chief ministers of Bihar, ” PM Modi said.

“The NDA government formed in Bihar will leave no stone unturned for the development of the state and to fulfill the aspirations of its people. I am confident that this team will work in a dedicated manner for my family members of Bihar, ” he added.

BJP national president J.P. Nadda was also present in the swearing-in ceremony.

The fresh development — BJP-JD-U alliance — came just ahead of the general elections, which, according to the political analysts, is expected to give the saffron party an edge in putting up a “strong peformance” in the Lok Sabha seats in Bihar. Bihar has a total of 40 Lok Sabha seats.

Jammu and Kashmir Police ask aadhaar, phone details for security census

By
Tehelka WebDesk
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The Jammu and Kashmir police have embarked on a door-to-door census in parts of the Valley, collecting information about residents, particularly those working abroad or having connections to militancy, reports said. The exercise, informally known as the “police census,” has raised concerns due to its recurrence, with fears of it becoming an annual ritual.

Residents in targeted areas have reported police officers visiting their homes, distributing forms, and requesting details such as names, phone numbers, and Aadhaar card information. Despite past instances leading to allegations of political profiling, some residents have noted their willingness to cooperate, citing the police’s assurance that the exercise is for security reasons.

The police maintain that such exercises aid in keeping a close watch on militants, making policing more efficient. Despite concerns, a police officer stated that people generally cooperate with the authorities during these initiatives.

In addition to the door-to-door census, security forces have initiated various surveillance measures, including scrutinizing government employees. Government workers now find themselves required to obtain clearance from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and vigilance authorities for foreign travel, including pilgrimage to Haj, a process that can take weeks or even months. 

Amit Shah likely to pay two-day visit to Bengal by month-end

By
Tehelka WebDesk
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New Delhi : Union Home Minister Amit Shah is likely to pay a two-day visit to West Bengal by the month-end in the backdrop of the Lok Sabha polls this year.

He is likely to be in the state on January 28 and 29. According to a member of the BJP’s state committee, Shah is expected to arrive in Kolkata on January 28 and on the same day he might hold an organizational meeting in the city with state party leaders.

“The minister, in the meeting, is expected to take stock of the party’s preparations in the state for the Lok Sabha polls, ” the committee member said.

On January 29, Shah might address a party rally at Mecheda in East Midnapore district, which is the native district of the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, said the member.

State BJP sources said that the two Lok Sabha seats in East Midnapore district, Kanthi and Tamluk, from where the sitting MPs are the Leader of the Opposition’s father Sisir Kumar Adhikari and his brother Dibyendu Adhikari, are under special focus of the BJP for the general elections.

Although both are officially Trinamool Congress, they are unlikely be renominated by the state’s ruling party this time for obvious reasons. Political observers feel that the probable rally of Amit Shah in East Midnapore district is proof of how seriously the saffron leadership is taking its prospects for the two Lok Sabha constituencies in the district. Last time, when the Union home minister visited West Bengal, he had set a target for 35 out of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state. Since then several national leaders have been regularly visiting West Bengal and conducting political programmes here.

Ram temple extends ‘darshan’ timings to deal with rush

By
Tehelka WebDesk
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Ayodhya :  In view of the huge number of devotees visiting the Ram temple in Ayodhya, the temple administration has taken a decision to extend the time for ‘darshan’.

Now devotees can have darshan of Ram Lalla till 10 p.m. instead of 7 p.m.

In the morning shift, darshan will remain open from 7 a.m. to 11.30 a.m.

According to official sources, about five lakh devotees are camping in Ayodhya for darshan at the temple and a regular stream of devotees is coming in.

The Ayodhya district administration has appealed to the devotees to come to Ayodhya after 10-15 days and have darshan of Ram Lalla.

It is noteworthy that more than eight thousand policemen are monitoring the system.

Director General of Police (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar and Principal Secretary (Home) Sanjay Prasad are also camping in Ayodhya to monitor the situation.

Delhi records minimum temp of 8.3, air quality ‘severe’ at some stations

By
Tehelka WebDesk
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New Delhi : The national capital on Wednesday recorded a minimum temperature at 8.3 degrees Celsius, one notch above the seasonal average, the India Meteorological (IMD) Department said.

The IMD’s forecast for the day showed that the maximum temperature is likely to hover around 18 degrees, with the minimum at around 8 degrees.

According to the weatherman, moderate fog will persist.

Visibility recorded at Palam station stood at 700m at 7 a.m. and 500m at Safdarjung.

“Visibility recorded (at 0530 hours IST of 24th January) (≤200 metres):

Jammu Division: Jammu-25

Punjab: Amritsar 0 and Patilala-25;

Haryana: Hisar-50;

West Uttar Pradesh: Bareilly-25, Jhansi-200; East Uttar Pradesh: Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Prayagraj-25 each, Bahraich-50, ” IMD posted on X.

While the air quality continued to remain in the ‘very poor’ category at several stations across the city, various stations witnessed it in the ‘severe’ category as well.

In the Anand Vihar area, at 9 a.m. PM2.5 levels were recorded to be in the ‘very poor’ category standing at 391 and PM10 reached 365, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

The Air Quality Index (AQI) between zero and 50 is considered ‘good’; 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory’; 101 and 200 ‘moderate’; 201 and 300 ‘poor’; 301 and 400 ‘very poor’; and 401 and 500 ‘severe’.

The IGI Airport (T3) recorded PM2.5 levels at 385, and PM10 at 397.

Dwarka Sector 8 witnessed PM2.5 levels at 437, and PM10 was at 403, both falling under the ‘severe’ category.

Eleven arrested for waving saffron flag in UP mosque

By
Tehelka WebDesk
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Agra:  Eleven people were arrested for allegedly waving saffron flag in a mosque in Billochpura under Tajganj police station of Agra in Uttar Pradesh.

The arrests were made on Tuesday after a complaint was lodged by Zahiruddin, the Mutawalli (caretaker of mosque) on Monday at the Tajganj police station, said Jasveer Singh in charge of Tajganj police.

Locals said that a procession was being taken out on Monday in the area to celebrate the Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya.

A few youths climbed on the projection of the mosque building and waved saffron flags in their hands.

“A case was registered on Monday afternoon under sections 147 and 148 (related to rioting), 452 (trespass) and 505 (2) (statements conducing public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code against a crowd of 1, 000 to 1, 500 unidentified people, ” said Jasveer Singh.

“Eleven people, all from the Tajganj area, have been arrested and produced before a magistrate on Tuesday. Due action is to be undertaken in this regard, ” said Singh.

Rahul Gandhi spells out five point agenda, ‘Paanch Nyay’, for justice

By
Kavita
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KAMRUP (ASSAM): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has spelt out his five point vision, ‘Paanch Nyay’ for justice in the country. These include justice for youth, justice for women, justice for farmers, justice for labourers and justice of participation.

Addressing a press conference in the outskirts of Guwahati, Rahul said, he was quite firm in his belief as what was his mission and motto and he will never be intimidated. He also asserted that power needs to be shared equitably. He said, each of the five agendas of justice will be backed up by specific action plan which will be revealed in next few weeks.

Replying to a question on the harassment and impediments faced by the Nyay Yatra during its course in Assam, Gandhi said, he was not feeling disturbed or intimidated rather he was feeling happy, as the yatra had become the main focus in the state. He said, he even waived kisses at the BJP workers who also waived at him.

In fact, Gandhi added, it was not the Chief Minister himself who was doing it as it was being orchestrated from Delhi. He said, if the Chief Minister says something that is not liked by people in Delhi, anybody can imagine his fate given the cases pending against him (the Chief Minister). “More he does it, better it is for us”, he remarked about the intimidating attempts by the Chief Minister.

Gandhi said, the BJP was rattled with the grand success of Bharat Jodo Yatra last year. He pointed out, earlier they were very dismissive about the BJY. But, he added, eventually it touched the crescendo of success. He observed, that is the reason that the BJP is now trying to disrupt the Nyay Yatra in the beginning itself. However, he asserted, he will not be deterred and intimidated.

Rahul Gandhi said, during his conversations with people in Assam, two main things had emerged. One was that the Chief Minister of Assam was one of the most corrupt Chief Ministers in the country and second the state faced the problems of unemployment and price rise, while the farmers and other common people were suffering.

To a question whether the INDIA partners will join the Nyay Yatra in states like West Bengal and Bihar, he said, he and the Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had personally invited all of them.

To a question as who will be the challenger to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the upcoming General Elections, he said, it will be the ideology of INDIA against the ideology of Modi and the RSS.

On the leadership issue of the INDIA, he made it categorically clear that INDIA was an ideology that was fighting the ideology of Narendra Modi and the RSS with sixty percent people of India supporting it.

On a further question, Rahul Gandhi said, the leadership issues will be discussed and decided after the elections.

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