By Rahil Nora Chopra
With the Congress preparing to go independent in the Panchayat and local body polls in Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi Party appears to be having a rethink about tying up with the INC for the 2027 UP Assembly elections, after the latter’s poor performance in Bihar. Moreover, the UP Congress in-charge Avinash Pandey had sent a hint to the SP by saying that if the Bahujan Samaj Party wished to join the INDIA bloc, it would be welcomed, adding that “politics never closes its doors completely”. The UP Congress unit has left it to the central leadership to decide on the INC-SP alliance. Meanwhile, the Congress has begun signalling a more active role for All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in the state. She has, in the past few years, been in the scheme of things in UP, but without a defined organisational role. Priyanka’s recent appointment as chairperson of the screening committee for the Assam assembly elections, combined with the decision to foreground her in UP, is being viewed within the party as the commencing of her return to active organisational responsibilities in UP. Congress state unit had announced a series of statewide initiatives being rolled out over the next 100 days, presenting them as an attempt to revive the organisation on the ground and sharpen its messaging for the assembly polls in 2027. A key part of the programme is the ‘Samvidhan Samvad Mahapanchayat’ and Congress plans to hold over 30 such events, beginning on January 24 from Sitapur. The Congress has also announced a renewed agitation around MGNREGA Bachao Sangram, exhibiting it as a struggle to protect rural employment and workers’ rights.
DMK CELEBRATES ‘DRAVIDIAN PONGAL’, BJP-AIADMK SHED TRADITION TEARS
Ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, festivals, too, have become political highlights. The ruling DMK stirred controversy, emphasizing Pongal as a “Dravidian festival” of social justice, equality, and distinct cultural identity. Meanwhile, the BJP and its NDA ally AIADMK have accused the ruling party of attempting to strip the harvest festival of Hindu religious elements. The DMK celebrated what it called “Dravidian Pongal” as per Chief Minister M K Stalin’s directives and once again ignited long-standing political debate over Tamil culture, identity, regional pride and traditions. On the other hand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated Pongal at the residence of Union Minister L Murugan in Delhi and performed traditional rituals signifying the harvest festival in what was seen as a Tamil outreach.
AS MAYAWATI TURNS 70, BSP DECIDES TO GO SOLO
Underlining the party’s electoral strategy, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Mayawati has made it clear that the BSP would contest all elections across the country on its own. Addressing a press conference in Lucknow on her 70th birthday, Mayawati affirmed the party’s decision that it was more appropriate to fight all small and big elections independently and not get into any kind of alliance with any party. She added that if the BSP came to power, the aspirations of the Brahmin community would be fulfilled. She also cautioned Brahmins not to fall for the influence of the Congress, BJP or the Samajwadi Party. BSP observed Mayawati turning 70 all over Uttar Pradesh as ‘Jan Kalyankari Diwas’.
RUMBLES OF DISCONTENT IN RJD CAMP OVER MAKAR SANKRANTI FEAST
The traditional ‘Dahi-Chuda’ feast associated with Makar Sankranti has become a fresh political debate in Bihar, with senior RJD leader Shivanand Tiwari publicly criticising Tejashwi Yadav for not hosting the customary gathering as well as not praising his elder brother Tej Pratap Yadav for organising the event. Tej Pratap Yadav, leader of the Janshakti Janata Dal, hosted a Makar Sankranti ‘Dahi-Chuda’ that was attended by RJD president Lalu Prasad. In contrast, no such feast was hosted at the 10 Circular Road bungalow in Patna, where Lalu Prasad resides along with Rabri Devi and Tejashwi Yadav. Lalu seemed okay with his elder son choosing an independent political route and said that his blessings were always there for him. He also praised the initiative of his elder son hosting the “dahi-chura” which is a traditional and a important festival for the people of the state However, his younger brother Tejashwi Yadav and his mother Rabri Devi skipped it. The other leaders who attended the feast included Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha, Janata Dal (United) leader and minister Ashok Choudhary. Besides Governor Arif Mohammad Khan attended the feast. (IPA Service)
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