S.M. Krishna joining BJP not a loss for party: Congress

Former Andhra Pradesh Minister Gudivada Amarnath on Thursday said that the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) has filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the land policy of the state government, alleging that large extents of valuable public land are being allotted to a few real estate companies at very low prices.

"Most of the hotels are closed. Even in the few that are open, we are not getting proper food. This situation is affecting families as well. Therefore, we request the Central Government to intervene in this matter and take strong action to ensure the supply of LPG gas," Muraleedharan told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram.

Speaking to reporters, Dubey said that Parliament is not a "canteen" and questioned the conduct during a protest meant to highlight issues faced by the public. He stated that the demonstration was intended to raise concerns about LPG shortages affecting common people and that the government would respond to those issues.

Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, informed the Lok Sabha on Thursday that the country is successfully navigating the major disruption in global energy supplies following the West Asia conflict.

Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) General Secretary MVS Nagireddy on Thursday strongly condemned the coalition government for its gross negligence and betrayal of farmers under the Annadatha Sukhibhava scheme.

BJP MLA and West Bengal Assembly Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday expressed confidence that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) would be defeated in the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections.

According to sources, the meeting involved extensive discussions on around 160 Assembly constituencies across the state. During the deliberations, the party is learnt to have finalised candidates for nearly 145 seats, out of 294 assembly seats in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, marking significant progress in the selection process.

Earlier, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said that the upcoming assembly elections in Kerala are expected to set a benchmark for democratic practices, expressing confidence in the preparedness of the state's election machinery and cooperation from political parties.

The West Bengal government on Thursday provided officers of requisite seniority for being appointed as Returning Officers for the forthcoming Assembly Elections, on the insistence of the Election Commission of India.

In an 'X' post, TMC said the government has "ek hi naara, line mein rahe desh bechara," pointing to past governmental measures including demonetisation, the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, the Special Identification Registration (SIR), and now the LPG shortage. The party described demonetisation as a "Tughlaqi farman" that forced ordinary citizens to wait in serpentine queues outside banks and ATMs for days to access their own money. The post also highlighted the 2020 COVID-19 oxygen crisis, when families stood in long lines outside hospitals and suppliers as the public health system collapsed.