Politics

High-stakes battle for Mumbai, Pune and 27 other corporations

Twenty-nine municipal corporations across Maharashtra will go to the polls on Thursday as a high-voltage campaign comes to an end on Tuesday, setting the stage for a decisive political contest in key urban centres including Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, Nagpur, Navi Mumbai, Thane and Pimpri-Chinchwad.

2026-01-14T15:45:44.189898+00:00 IST

Congress Screening Committee to meet in Chennai on Jan 18: Source

The first meeting of the Congress Screening Committee is scheduled to be held in Chennai on January 18. Congress leaders from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, including Girish Singh, the party in-charge, along with other members of the Screening Committee, will attend the session, said the sources.

2026-01-14T15:37:54.511422+00:00 IST

“RJD will merge with JJD”: Tej Pratap Yadav

Jan Shakti Janata Dal (JJD) leader Tej Pratap Yadav on Wednesday said that people from across sections had been invited to the Makar Sankranti celebrations and many had already arrived, while some were still on their way.

2026-01-14T15:26:00.218418+00:00 IST

'58 lakh names removed, many more in queue': BJP's Agnimitra Paul

BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul on Wednesday claimed that more names will be removed from voter lists in West Bengal, alleging irregularities in previous elections.

2026-01-14T15:15:24.099462+00:00 IST

29 Municipal bodies go to polls in Maharashtra on Thursday

Maharashtra is set for massive civic polls across 29 municipal corporations, including the prestigious Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), with stakes high for the Thackeray brothers as also BJP-Shiv Sena after the ruling Mahayuti alliance's stupendous victory in the assembly polls last year.

2026-01-14T15:12:24.107347+00:00 IST

TVK celebrates Samathuva Pongal in Salem

Speaking on the occasion, Salem Central District Secretary Thamizhian Parthiban said that TVK's Pongal celebrations were not ritualistic but rooted in the idea of samathuvam (equality). "People from all religions and communities have come together here. This is true Samathuva Pongal," he said, interacting with the public during the event.

2026-01-14T15:10:48.693922+00:00 IST

Uttarayani Kautik marks 25 years in Lucknow as Uttarakhand comple

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday said that the completion of 25 years of Uttarayani Kauthig in Lucknow coincides with 25 years of the formation of Uttarakhand. Extending greetings on Makar Sankranti

2026-01-14T14:28:48.539241+00:00 IST

DK Shivakumar hits back after BJP announces protest in Karnataka

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Wednesday hit back at the BJP after the opposition party in the state announced a protest against the "deterioration of law and order," stating that they are "jealous" of the Congress winning the Valmiki and ST seats.

2026-01-14T12:57:59.948767+00:00 IST

4.5 crore voters missing from UP rolls: AAP MP Sanjay Singh

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh on Wednesday alleged that around 4.5 crore voters have been removed from the electoral rolls in Uttar Pradesh, raising serious questions over the revision process.

2026-01-14T12:52:55.298380+00:00 IST

People of Maharashtra will stand with Mahayuti alliance: Fadnavis

Highlighting the alliance's candidate selection, Fadnavis said the Mahayuti has ensured broad social and professional representation. "Our candidates are from all walks of life, from the poorest of the poor to educated people. We have given tickets to a large number of graduates, post-graduates, lawyers, doctors and PhDs. So, it's a diverse representation," he said.

2026-01-14T11:33:55.011492+00:00 IST

Case filed against Karnataka Congress spokesperson M Laxman

A complaint has been filed against Congress Spokesperson M Laxman, accusing him of spreading false information and making provocative statements that allegedly incite public unrest and hatred.

2026-01-14T09:50:08.644380+00:00 IST

"Never going to need the MVA or Uddhav": CM Devendra Fadnavis

"We are never going to need the MVA or Uddhav in the future. We can never form an alliance with them. We are winning this election. Yes, it's true they are not our 'enemies', we can have tea with them in the future, but there will be no alliance," he asserted.

2026-01-14T09:35:14.479210+00:00 IST

"Marathi is my language": CM Devendra Fadnavis

Speaking to ANI about attempts to polarise voters on linguistic lines, the Chief Minister said, "Marathi is my language. There must be development for the Marathi language."

2026-01-14T09:13:29.142936+00:00 IST

Karnataka: BJP President announces protest against ruling party

"Sriramulu and Janardhana Reddy are coming on the 17th. There is a state-level struggle. The party has decided to take up all the issues of the state government's failures and corruption and fight across the state. Law and order have deteriorated, so a struggle has been organised in Bellary on the 17th," he stated.

2026-01-14T09:05:58.634891+00:00 IST

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis on BMC elections

Speaking to ANI, Fadnavis said Hindutva is deeply ingrained in Marathi society and that his party respects the traditions and beliefs of every community.

2026-01-14T09:03:57.534059+00:00 IST

"Mamata Banerjee is biggest coal smuggler": BJP's Sanjay Jaiswal

"Her scams are being exposed. The way she dealt with the ED clearly shows that Mamata Banerjee is the biggest coal smuggler. That's why, misusing her position as Chief Minister, she fled with computer hard disks and documents. The ED has taken this matter to the Supreme Court, and action should definitely be taken against her," Jaiswal said.

2026-01-14T09:02:14.539086+00:00 IST

'No CM change talks took place during Rahul meeting': DK Shivakum

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress president DK Shivakumar on Wednesday clarified that there were no discussions regarding a change in the Chief Ministership during the visit of Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi to the state.

2026-01-14T08:37:43.758604+00:00 IST

"Truly delighted": K Annamalai celebrates Pongal in Delhi

"PM Narendra Modi has been celebrating Pongal for the last many years. More importantly, the kind of cultural celebrations he undertakes, his home is open to all cultures. Christmas is celebrated in his home. And for the third straight year, the Pongal celebration is happening in different ministers' houses where all the people of Delhi, Tamil origin and different parts of South India, they have come here today. We are very happy that PM himself is leading from the front, connecting all of us culturally," he said.

2026-01-14T07:32:03.009571+00:00 IST

"INormal courtesy call": Karnataka HM on Siddaramaiah-Rahul meet

Without revealing many details, the Home Minister said, "The Chief Minister and the party president have spoken about it. How would we know what exactly they discussed? It doesn't seem like they had any detailed discussion there; they may have just exchanged pleasantries."

2026-01-14T07:27:06.027060+00:00 IST

Sanjay Raut attacks Mahayuti, alleges money distribution

Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, Raut claimed that the Election Commission allowed door-to-door campaigning despite the Model Code of Conduct coming into force and the official suspension of campaigning on Tuesday.

2026-01-14T07:06:53.857819+00:00 IST

AI Impact Summit in India next month: Pradhan

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Wednesday reached the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras to participate in Pongal celebrations, during which he announced that India will host the prestigious AI Impact Summit next month under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

2026-01-14T06:57:55.075446+00:00 IST