By Rahil Nora Chopra
The formal alliance between the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) and Raj Thackeray-headed MNS is expected soon in the run up to the elections to 29 municipal corporations of Maharashtra. Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut said “Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray had come together…we would be contesting the municipal corporations of Mumbai, Thane, Mira-Bhayandar, Kalyan-Dombivli, Pune and Nashik…these are the six big corporations…in rest of the places, the local units of Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS will take a call,” On the other hand, the NCP and NCP (SP) have held talks about joining hands for the Pune Municipal Corporation and Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation elections. However, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had said BJP and NCP won’t have an alliance in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad municipal corporations, and there will be a friendly fight between the two Mahayuti allies. Besides the BJP and NCP, the ruling Mahayuti also has the Shiv Sena, led by Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, as a constituent. Meanwhile, the Congress has decided to fight alone in Mumbai in the municipal corporation elections and left it at the party’s local units to decide at their levels. Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar said that decisions on alliances under the opposition’s MVA combine would be taken by local leaders after assessing local political equations.
BJP LEGISLATORS OF ODISHA ASSEMBLY REQUEST THE CM TO REVIEW THE SALARY HIKE DECISION
After the public pressure over the strong hike in salaries of MLAs, ministers and pension of former legislators in Odisha, BJP MLAs on Thursday met chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi and urged him to reconsider his decision. Opposition parties accused the BJP of pushing through the highest legislative pay package in the country at a time of economic distress. The passage of bills on December 9 raised legislators’ monthly emoluments from Rs. 1.11 lakh to Rs. 3.45 lakh. The legislation also approved a three-fold increase in salaries and allowances of the chief minister, deputy chief minister and ministers. Under the revision, the chief minister’s monthly package rose to Rs. 3.74 lakh, including a basic salary of Rs. 1 lakh, car allowance of Rs. 91,000 and sumptuary allowance of Rs. 1.83 lakh. The leader of Opposition is entitled to about Rs. 3.62 lakh, while cabinet ministers will draw roughly the same amount. The Speaker’s salary and allowances were raised to Rs. 3.68 lakh. Only CPI (M) MLA Laxman Munda had opposed the bill. The Bill has, however, not received assent of Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati. The revision of MLAs’ salaries seems to have dented the image of the 18-month-old Mohan Majhi government. The proposed hike of over 200% would place Odisha’s legislators ahead of their counterparts in all other States, a message that reportedly did not go down well with the BJP’s central leadership.
WEST BENGAL CM MAMATA BANERJEE TO RENAME KARMASHREE PROGRAMME IN THE NAME OF MAHATMA GANDHI
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced that the state government’s employment scheme Karmashree will be renamed after Mahatma Gandhi, expressing strong displeasure over the removal of the Father of the Nation’s name from welfare schemes at the national level. Speaking at the Business and Industry Conclave at Dhono Dhanyo Auditorium, Banerjee expressed her discontent over the name change of India’s flagship rural employment programme, calling it a matter of “deep shame.” Mamata also stated that despite good works done by her Trinamool Congress (TMC) government in the state, a certain section of people tries to defame her and her party.
TVK SUPREMO ACTOR VIJAY CALLS FOR FIGHT AGAINST EVIL DMK GOVERNMENT
Actor-politician Vijay on Thursday took a blistering verbal attack against Tamil Nadu’s ruling DMK, calling it an evil force. Addressing a rally in Erode, Vijay called TVK the “Thooya Shakti” (good force) and DMK the “Theeya Shakti” (evil force), referencing the terminology used by former Chief Ministers MG Ramachandran and J. Jayalalithaa. “The Tamil Nadu election 2026 battle is now between the goodness of TVK and the evil of DMK,” he said. Meanwhile the rally was doubly significant because it took place near former AIADMK leader KA Sengottaiyan’s hometown of Vijayamangalam. A senior politician, and regarded as an excellent campaign strategist, he joined Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam last month, days after being expelled from the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam by disgruntled party boss E Palaniswami.
DELHI CM REKHA GUPTA JEERED BY SPECTATORS DURING FUNCTION TO WELCOME MESSI
Amid Delhi’s worsening air pollution, a section of spectators at the Arun Jaitley Stadium jeered Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, chanting ‘AQI, AQI’ as she walked on stage to welcome Argentine football icon Lionel Messi on Monday. A viral video going online showed a section of the crowd chanting ‘AQI’, ‘AQI’. The video prompted the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to attack Rekha Gupta over the severe pollution levels gripping the capital. “International Shame, Crowd for Messi shouts ‘AQI, AQI’ as soon as Delhi CM Rekha Gupta arrives,” AAP’s Delhi unit chief Saurabh Bharadwaj said in a post on X. Meanwhile, the AAP, and Congress accused the BJP governments at the Centre and in Delhi of being indifferent as toxic air choked Delhi-NCR and parts of North India, saying the situation had reached emergency levels. In response, Rekha Gupta accused the previous AAP and Congress governments of not doing anything on the issue. (IPA Service)
