POLITICS

Ahead of Vidhan Sabha polls, BJP forms a ground team in W-Bengal 

Overwhelmed by the landslide victory in Bihar, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has started preparing ground in West Bengal. The party has appointed at least six Organising Secretaries and Zonal Visiting Observers in West Bengal with Aruna Binnadi and Anant Narayan Mishra will be looking after as Organising Secretaries of Uttar Banga zone, while N Madhukar was entrusted with Nagadwip zone and  Siddharthan has been appointed as Organising Secretary, Kolkata zone. Besides, Pawan Rana has been appointed as Organising Secretary, Howrah-Hooghly-Medinipur zone and Pawan Sai will be looking at Rarh Banga zone. On the other hand, Kailash Choudhary, former Union Minister from Rajasthan is a Visiting Observer of Uttar Banga zone while Suresn Rana, State Minister of Uttar Pradesh was made Visiting Observer of Nagadwip zone; C T Ravi, MLC, Karnataka is Visiting Observer of Kolkata zone; Sanjay Bhatia, ex-MP Haryana and JPS Rathore, State Minister, Uttar Pradesh are Visiting Observers of Howrah-Hooghly-Medinipur zone and Dhan Singh Rawat, State Minister, Uttarakhand is Visiting Observer of Rarh Banga zone.

Rahul Gandhi &PM Modi exchange notes at CIC selection meet that lasted 88 mins

What was expected to be a short courtesy meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi extended unexpectedly to nearly 88 minutes, sparking speculation across the corridors of Parliament. According to highly placed sources, the unusually long duration wasn’t just about formal deliberations — it stemmed from detailed dissent notes submitted by Rahul Gandhi against several candidates proposed by the government for key constitutional and institutional appointments. Gandhi is learnt to have handed over extensive written objections, outlining specific concerns on merit, transparency, and selection procedure for each nominee. His notes reportedly challenged both the process and the government’s interpretation of consensus. The development added a dramatic twist to what seemed like a routine consultative exercise, leaving political circles abuzz about the deeper tussle unfolding over top appointments and institutional independence. In the Selection meeting of CIC and ICs, LoP Rahul Gandhi reportedly submitted his dissent note for disagreements over the selection criteria. Sources said, Gandhi had formally sought caste-wise data of applicants for these posts and pointed out that less than 75% of the applicant pool came from Dalit, Adivasi, OBC/EBC and minority communities. Presently, only two Information Commissioners -- Anandi Ramalingam and Vinod Kumar Tiwari - are handling the work.

High expectations from the Cabinet Meeting tomorrow? (UPDATED)

India's Union Cabinet meeting, set for tomorrow at 1 PM IST, is likely to tackle urgent economic and security agendas amid global uncertainties. Speculation centers on approving fiscal stimulus packages to counter GDP slowdowns and inflation, including fresh allocations for the National Infrastructure Pipeline targeting highways, railways, and green energy projects to spur employment. Defense deliberations may review LAC border fortifications against China and greenlight indigenous arms procurements under Atmanirbhar Bharat. Trade policies could see tariff tweaks on Chinese imports alongside strategic responses to US overtures from President Trump's administration, emphasizing electronics and steel sectors. Broader reforms might expand PLI schemes for semiconductors and EVs, bolstering investor sentiment, while geopolitical nods to QUAD enhancements and Russia ties could emerge. Post-meeting PIB releases will clarify outcomes, potentially signaling policy pivots for 2026 growth.