By Rahil Nora Chopra
The Congress has declared a nationwide protest against the Centre’s recent failures over the CBSE-NEET paper leak/on-screen marking issues, as well as unemployment, inflation, and economic crises. The decision about the countrywide agitation was taken at the party meeting chaired by Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, which was also attended by Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretaries, in-charges and Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) presidents. The agitation is likely to commence by the end of June and continue for two-three months. Kharge set the tone for the meeting, asserting that the institutions which took decades to build are being deliberately weakened and hollowed out, and the party’s responsibility was not only toward political struggle, but also toward safeguarding the Constitution, democracy, and social justice.
TMC CRISIS DEEPENS: KALYAN BANERJEE SLAMS ABHISHEK, 3 RS MEMBERS QUIT
As the Trinamool Congress struggles over its biggest internal crisis ever, senior MP and advocate Kalyan Banerjee has made a blistering attack on party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. Kalyan Banerjee, who has remained loyal to Mamata Banerjee even as several MPs and MLAs deserted her camp in recent days, issued a blunt ultimatum to the TMC chief, “Choose us or Abhishek.” The senior advocate also slammed the decision to allegedly remove him from court proceedings related to Abhishek Banerjee in the signature forgery case and the connected CID search operation case. He alleged that Abhishek’s attitude had been insulting and claimed that the TMC leader had never trusted him. Meanwhile, The TMC is going through a mounting turmoil as around 20 MPs are preparing to form a rebel bloc and extend support to the NDA. Adding to the pressure, Rajya Sabha MP Prakash Chik Baraik resigned from the Upper House on Thursday, becoming the third TMC MP from Rajya Sabha to quit. Sukhendu Sekhar Roy and Sushmita Dev have also resigned as TMC’s Rajya Sabha MPs.
NATHWANI’S NOMINATION FIASCO ENDS, CONGRESS’S JHA WARY OF CROSS-VOTING
The nomination papers to BJP-backed independent candidate Parimal Nathwani was finally accepted after a controversy hanged over discrepancies in his application documents. Meanwhile, the issue led to intense political activity outside the Assembly, where Congress leaders, including ministers and MLAs, staged a protest asking for the cancellation of Nathwani’s nomination. With two seats up for election, the ruling coalition of the JMM, Congress, RJD and CPI-ML has 56 MLAs, enough to win both seats. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has 24 MLAs and Nathwani needs four cross-votes to win. The JMM, which has 34 MLAs, is confident that its candidate, former minister and Dalit leader Baidyanath Ram, will comfortably win the first seat with support of the party’s own legislators. On the other hand, Pranav Jha, however, would require not just the support of all 16 Congress MLAs but also that of four MLAs from the RJD, two from the CPI-ML and the remaining six MLAs of the JMM. The support of 28 MLAs is required to win one Rajya Sabha seat. But the situation is even more intense for the Congress not merely because of the risk of cross-voting by its MLAs against party nominee Pranav Jha, but as the election has also put the party’s coalition with senior ally, JMM, under strain.
TMC-CONGRESS MERGER RUMOURS PUT TO BED, FOR NOW
With the Trinamool Congress facing an unprecedented crisis, hectic parleys have been taking place between Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and TMC’s imperilled deputy Abhishek Banerjee, after Sonia Gandhi and Mamata Banerjee held talks at their level. The volley of meetings triggered speculation about a potential merger of the two parties. Those were however quickly smashed by both sides. At the Sonia-Mamata meeting, sources said the discussions were eminently on strengthening the I.N.D.I.A. bloc besides working on the relationship between both the parties. Rahul and Abhishek discussed vote chori and way ahead for the collective Opposition. On the other hand, West Bengal Congress chief Subhankar Sarkar left the door open for a merger, saying, “Politics is the art of possibilities. So, anything can happen tomorrow.”
CM SUVENDU SERVES PM MODI JHALMURI IN DELHI TO MARK 12 YEARS OF NDA-2
West Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari served jhalmuri to PM Narendra Modi and other NDA leaders at the stall set up at Bharat Mandapam,, apparently to showcase BJP’s electoral success in the state. The NDA meeting was held to celebrate the completion of 12 years of the NDA government at the Centre and to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi becoming India’s longest continuously serving elected Prime Minister. “A jhalmuri break during the NDA meeting at Bharat Mandapam. All our leaders greatly enjoyed this snack!” Modi posted on X. Jhalmuri emerged as a symbol of BJP’s electoral campaign leading to the West Bengal Assembly polls after PM Modi, taking a break from his campaign rallies, had made an unexpected stop in Jhargram for a quick bite of jhalmuri. (IPA Service)
