Revanth meets Rahul, Kharge in Delhi as AICC weighs portfolio reshuffle, cabinet strategy
Hyderabad: Chief minister A Revanth Reddy met with AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi to discuss the allocation of portfolios to the three newly-inducted ministers and the possibility of a wider cabinet reshuffle. The Congress high command is said to have firmly advised Revanth to ensure social justice remains the guiding principle in the reallocation of portfolios—a directive with both symbolic and political resonance. Significantly, soon after the meeting, the AICC summoned senior minister and party heavyweight N Uttam Kumar Reddy to the national capital, fuelling speculation about a deeper shake-up within the cabinet. While there has been no official word on whether the leadership is contemplating dropping any ministers, the move has revived buzz in party circles about possible exits or marginalisation of underperforming incumbents. Uttam was accompanied by his wife and Kodad MLA N Padmavathi Reddy, whose name is reportedly under consideration either for inclusion in a future cabinet expansion or as one of the four working presidents of the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC). This development is being seen as part of a larger balancing act within the party, aimed at accommodating key social and regional stakeholders ahead of local body elections. Bhatti also set to be called Though deputy chief minister Bhatti Vikramarka was not present in Delhi, sources confirmed that a senior AICC leader held telephonic discussions with him following Revanth’s meeting with the top leadership. There are strong indications that Bhatti too may be called to Delhi for further consultations, although his office did not confirm any such move as of late Tuesday night. “The high command has wrapped up discussions with the Karnataka leadership, where a decision was taken to conduct another caste census. The focus now shifts to Telangana,” a senior AICC functionary said. “The leadership is set to deliberate not only on the portfolios for the new ministers but also the political ramifications of a larger reshuffle. Consultations with Revanth, Uttam, and most likely Bhatti will continue into the night or take place on Wednesday. The announcement of new portfolios is expected on Wednesday or Thursday,” the source added. 4 working presidents Revanth’s meeting with Rahul Gandhi and Kharge lasted over two hours and went beyond cabinet matters. The discussion also covered the pending appointments of four TPCC working presidents, district and block-level Congress presidents, the campaign committee, and the AICC programme implementation committee chairperson. The strategy for upcoming local body elections and plans to target the BJP-led Centre’s ‘11 years of failure’ were also prominently discussed. Sources said that AICC general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal had submitted a detailed chart of portfolios currently held by Revanth, Bhatti, Uttam, and other ministers to Rahul Gandhi and Kharge. Also tabled was a performance report prepared by AICC Telangana in-charge Meenakshi Natarajan, which included candid feedback from party MLAs and senior leaders—reportedly touching on both strengths and lapses in the current cabinet. Revanth also extended formal invitations to Rahul Gandhi and Kharge to address public meetings in Telangana highlighting the successful completion of the state’s caste survey, the passage of the 42% BC quota legislation, and the party’s commitment to SC categorisation. Dates are being finalised in coordination with the central leadership, around which the TPCC will organise major rallies. Vivek meets Kharge, CM Meanwhile, newly-inducted minister G Vivek Venkatswamy also met Kharge on Monday and Revanth on Tuesday. While Vivek maintained publicly that he would work diligently with whichever portfolio he is given, sources indicate he is lobbying for the energy or education portfolio. He was reportedly advised by the leadership to concentrate on strengthening the party in the run-up to the local polls and to aggressively campaign against the BJP’s record at the Centre. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
‘Called Rahul Gandhi, Robert Vadra immature’: Congress expels Digvijaya Singh’s brother Lakshman for 6 years over ‘anti-party’ remarks
BHOPAL: In a major blow to former chief minister Digvijaya Singh, the Congress party on Wednesday expelled his brother and former MLA Lakshman Singh for six years from primary membership of the party. A release from AICC disciplinary committee member Tariq Anwar on Wednesday afternoon, said, “Hon’ble Congress President has expelled Lakshman Singh from the primary membership of the Indian National Congress for a period of six years, with immediate effect, due to his anti-party activities.After the Pahalgam terror attack on tourists, former MP from Rajgarh seat, Lakshaman Singh gave statements in public against Lok Sabha LOP Rahul Gandhi, Robert Vadra — husband of MP from Wayanad AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi — and Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah which was perceived as indiscipline and anti-party activity. Speaking to reporters, former state Congress president Arun Yadav said, “I don’t agree to speaking against the party in public.” State BJP president VD Sharma said, “This is the decision of the Congress party. I don’t need to say anything on it. But many times, Lakshman Singh showed Congress the mirror. And this is what happens to people who show the mirror of truth to the Congress party.” On April 24, at a function organised to pay homage to the victims of the Pahalgam terrorist attack, Lakshman Singh said, “Rahul Gandhi and Robert Vadra are immature. The country is suffering the consequences of their immaturity.” He also said, “Robert Vadra is Rahulji’s brother-in-law. He said that the (Pahalgam) attack is because Muslims are not permitted to offer Namaz on the roads. Till when are we going to tolerate such childishness? Rahul Gandhi should think before he speaks, he is the LOP.” Lakshman Singh further alleged that Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah was in collusion with terrorists and Congress should withdraw its support from the alliance with the National Conference govt. “I am saying this on camera that the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir is in collusion with terrorists. I urge Rahul Gandhi and AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge to withdraw support from him,” Lakshman Singh said. The former MLA from Chachoura assembly seat had even said, “If the party wants to remove me, they may do so today.” After one-and-half months, the party finally acted on the recommendation sent by the AICC Disciplinary Committee to expel him from primary membership of the party. On May 9, the DAC member secretary Tariq Anwar issued the show-cause notice to Lakshman Singh with a directive to respond within 10 days. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
‘Free of cost’: EC counters Rahul Gandhi’s voter roll demand; says polls details already provided
NEW DELHI: After repeated attacks on the Election Commission by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, the chief electoral officer of Maharashtra on Monday advised the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha to download the voter rolls of the Maharashtra legislative elections from its website — “free of cost”. Hours after Rahul asked the EC to specify the exact date by which it would furnish the voter rolls, the Commission said it maintains the practice of sharing the details with recognised political parties — first at the draft stage and again after finalisation. “Electoral Rolls are revised annually through a participatory exercise. During this annual exercise, the Electoral Rolls are shared, free of cost, with recognised political parties, including the INC — first at the draft stage and again after finalisation. A similar exercise was carried out in 2009, 2014, 2019, and 2024, and copies of such Electoral Rolls were then shared with the INC as well as other political parties,” the EC said in a statement. “A complete copy of the Electoral Roll used in the General Elections to the Legislative Assembly, Maharashtra–2024 is also available on the website for the public to freely download. Even for earlier electoral rolls, a copy of the finalised Electoral Rolls is retained by the District Election Officer. Under Rule 33 of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, any person, including the INC, can apply to the concerned District Election Officer and obtain a copy of the retained Electoral Rolls on payment of the prescribed fee. The CEO, Maharashtra, reiterated this statutory position on 22nd May 2025 to a Hon’ble Member of Parliament from the INC who sought a copy of electoral rolls that had already been provided to the INC during revisions in 2009, 2014, 2019, and 2024,” it added. Earlier, Rahul had asked the Election Commission to specify the exact date by which it would furnish the voter rolls of the Maharashtra and Haryana legislative elections. In a social media post on X, Rahul welcomed the EC’s decision and said, “Good first step taken by EC to hand over voter rolls.” “Can the EC please announce the exact date by which this data will be handed over in a digital, machine-readable format?” he asked. The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha also shared a screenshot of a media report claiming that the EC had cleared the way for sharing electoral-roll data for Haryana and Maharashtra from 2009 to 2024, following an assurance it gave to the Delhi High Court earlier this year. This development came a day after Rahul, in an article, outlined a “step-by-step manipulation” of the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections. “My article shows how this happened, step by step: Step 1: Rig the panel for appointing the Election Commission. Step 2: Add fake voters to the roll.Step 3: Inflate voter turnout. Step 4: Target the bogus voting exactly where BJP needs to win.Step 5: Hide the evidence,” Gandhi wrote in a post on X. “It’s not hard to see why the BJP was so desperate in Maharashtra. But rigging is like match-fixing — the side that cheats might win the game, but damages institutions and destroys public faith in the result. All concerned Indians must see the evidence, judge for themselves, and demand answers,” Gandhi had said. “Because the match-fixing of Maharashtra will come to Bihar next, and then anywhere the BJP is losing,” the Leader of Opposition claimed. Later, the poll body issued a statement calling Rahul’s allegations of “match-fixing” in the electoral process “completely absurd.” “The entire nation is aware that each election process — including the preparation of electoral rolls, polling, and counting — is held by government staff, and that too in the presence of authorised representatives formally appointed by political parties/candidates from polling station up to constituency level,” the EC said. “Any misinformation being spread, by anyone, is not only a sign of disrespect towards the law, but also brings disrepute to the thousands of representatives appointed by their own political party and demotivates lakhs of election staff who work untiringly and transparently during elections,” it added. “After any unfavourable verdict by the voters, trying to defame the Election Commission by saying that it is compromised is completely absurd,” the statement by the ECI read. In the 2024 Assembly elections, the Mahayuti coalition of BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP won 235 of the 288 seats, with BJP securing 132 alone. Shinde’s Sena secured 57 seats, and Ajit Pawar’s NCP got 41 seats. On the other hand, it was a disappointing show by the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which had hoped for a grand comeback. Uddhav’s Sena got 20 seats, Congress 16, and Sharad Pawar’s NCP secured 10 seats. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
‘Ink of dictatorship …’: Opposition slams 11 years of Modi govt; Cong releases report card for ‘detailed expose’
NEW DELHI: While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday lauded 11 years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, describing it as a period marked by a “remarkable transformation” in Indian politics, the opposition parties sharply criticised the Centre shortcomings across multiple key areas, accusing it of failing to deliver on several important fronts. Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi latched on the Mumbai railway accident to attack the government and accused it of “selling dreams of 2047.” “11 years of Modi government = no accountability, no change, only propaganda. The government has stopped talking about 2025 and is now selling dreams of 2047. Who will see what the country is facing today?” Rahul wrote on X. He added in another post: “The 11 years of the Modi government have been full of humiliation, violence, and discrimination against Dalits, Adivasis, backward classes, and minorities. The conspiracy to institutionally make them second-class citizens and keep them away from the mainstream is continuing.” ‘Wasted 11 years rubbing the ink of dictatorship’ Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge claimed that the “Modi government has wasted the last 11 years rubbing the ink of dictatorship on every page of the Constitution.” “In the last 11 years, the Modi government has caused severe damage to Indian democracy, the economy, and the social fabric,” Kharge said. “BJP-RSS weakened every constitutional institution and attacked their autonomy—whether by stealing public opinion and toppling governments through the back door or by forcibly imposing one-party rule. During this period, the rights of the states were ignored and the federal structure was weakened. There have been continuous efforts to spread hatred, threats, and fear in society. Exploitation of Dalits, tribals, backward classes, minorities, and weaker sections has increased. The conspiracy to deprive them of reservation and equal rights continues. The unending violence in Manipur is the biggest proof of the BJP’s administrative failure,” he added. “BJP-RSS made the country’s GDP growth rate accustomed to 5–6%, compared to 8% on average during the UPA era. Instead of the promise of 2 crore jobs every year, crores of jobs have been lost. Due to inflation, public savings are at their lowest in 50 years, and economic inequality is at a 100-year high. Demonetisation, flawed GST implementation, unplanned lockdown, and the blow to the unorganised sector have ruined the future of crores of people. Make in India, Startup India, Stand Up India, Digital India, Namami Gange, and 100 Smart Cities—all have failed. Railways have been ruined. The Modi government is only cutting ribbons of infrastructure built by the Congress-UPA,” he said. ’11 Saal, Jhoothe Vikas ke Vaade’ Congress also presented a report card of PM Modi’s tenure by releasing two sets of documents to “expose the BJP’s broken promises.” At a press conference, AICC research department head Rajeev Gowda, who prepared the booklet, alleged, “This government is very good at fake news and propaganda. It is our job as the Opposition to let people know the grim reality.” The booklet ‘Ek Aur Baar Jumla Sarkar’, he said, focuses on promises made by the BJP in its 2024 manifesto. The second, ’11 Saal Jhoothe Vikas Ke Vaade’*, is a “detailed exposé” of the BJP’s hollow claims. “In the 11-Saal document, one of the first themes they (BJP) highlight is care for the poor and marginalised. They boast that 81 crore people are getting free food grains under PMGKAY. But the basic problem of hunger is a much larger crisis in India, which ranks 105th out of 127 countries on the World Hunger Index. “Its implications: malnutrition is affecting our children terribly. Stunting is at 35.5%, wasting at 19.3%, and underweight children at 32.1%,” Gowda said. Congress also accused PM Modi of failing to protect the country, claiming that “52 terrorist attacks” had occurred in the last year. “In one year of the Modi government: 52 terrorist attacks; 36 soldiers martyred; 53 soldiers injured; 56 civilians killed; 82 civilians injured,” the party stated. “Narendra Modi has failed in protecting the country,” it added. ‘People of the BJP are working against each other’ Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav also raised questions about the Centre’s performance in education, employment, and economic activity. He alleged a lack of coordination between the BJP-led central and Uttar Pradesh governments, citing their ongoing schemes. Speaking to reporters, Yadav said, “There’s a phrase in Hindi—‘Ek pe ek gyarah’ and the other ‘Nau Do Gyarah’. This might be their 11 years. If we add 11 years of the Central government and 9 years of the Uttar Pradesh government, that totals 20 years. The government must give an account of these 20 years. What have they done for the people? How far have we progressed in education? How successful have we been in providing employment or attracting investment?” “The people of Uttar Pradesh will analyse this more closely, since the Prime Minister himself is an MP from the state. There is no coordination between Delhi and Lucknow—it’s evident in the schemes. If even the adopted villages haven’t changed, it raises serious questions. The BJP leaders are working against each other. There are many unanswered questions on both achievements and failures. The people will evaluate. There is large-scale unemployment and inflation in Uttar Pradesh.” ‘This is Amrit Kaal’ In contrast, addressing a press conference in the national capital, BJP president JP Nadda said the past 11 years had seen a decisive shift from politics based on “appeasement” to one driven by “performance, accountability, and responsible governance.” “It should be written in golden letters that under the leadership of PM Shri Narendra Modi, a remarkable transformation has taken place over the past 11 years. PM Modi has reshaped Indian political culture. In the past, politics was driven by appeasement strategies aimed at preserving power. Now, under PM Modi, the focus is on performance, accountability, and responsible governance. This has become the new normal,” Nadda said. Calling the NDA a “people-led government,” Nadda claimed that the Modi administration had created a forward-looking, transparent, and futuristic model
Rahul seeks immediate action against culprits
Bhopal: Lok Sabha LOP Rahul Gandhi on Monday said that the 11 years of Narendra Modi govt was full of humiliation, violence, and discrimination against Dalits. Rahul Gandhi was reacting to the death of 19-year-old Dalit youth Pankaj Prajapati in Bilahari, Chhattarpur district on Sunday. Taking to X, Rahul Gandhi said, “In Madhya Pradesh, 19-year-old Pankaj Prajapati was shot dead in public only because he, being a Dalit, demanded his share of rights. FIR was not registered, postmortem was postponed – because the guilty leader is sitting in the lap of power and the power belongs to Manuwadi and anti-Bahujan BJP.” He added, “The 11 years of Modi govt was full of humiliation, violence, and discrimination against Dalits, adivasis, backward classes, and minorities. The conspiracy to institutionally make them second-class citizens and keep them away from the mainstream is continuing. The culprits should be arrested immediately and given the harshest punishment. I stand with the Prajapati family and every Bahujan of the country. This is a fight for respect, justice, and equality, and we will win this fight at all costs.” State Congress president Jitu Patwari said that the Bilahari firing incident exposes the failure of law and order in MP. “This heinous crime has once again exposed the deteriorating law and order situation in Madhya Pradesh under the BJP govt,” he said. TNN Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Rahul’s claims absurd, bring into disrepute Cong’s own polling reps, say EC officials
NEW DELHI: Election Commission officials on Saturday slammed Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi for accusing it of “fixing” Maharashtra polls, saying that the “absurd” allegations – already dismissed in a letter to the Congress dated Dec 24, 2024 – not only demotivate lakhs of govt staff who work untiringly to deliver transparent elections but also “bring into disrepute” party’s own representatives from the polling station to the constituency level. “Any misinformation being spread, by anyone, is a sign of disrespect towards the law, under which polls are held. After an unfavourable verdict by the voters, trying to defame the Election Commission by saying that it is compromised, is completely absurd,” an EC functionary told TOI.EC also found it strange that the LoP, instead of directly writing to the EC, has thus far chosen to air his grievances at various other forums – party meetings, Lok Sabha, even interactions on foreign soil and, now, an Op-Ed article. “If he is aggrieved, why is he shying from write to EC directly or seeking a meeting?” asked the functionary mentioned above. On Rahul faulting the appointment process of CEC and election commissioners, officials underlined that it was only under Modi govt that the law was amended to allow LoP a say in the appointments. “All CECs and election commissioners under previous Cong govts were appointed at the sole will of the Executive,” said an officer. Stating that Rahul, in his Op-ED article, has only harped on the allegations denied by the poll panel in December 2024, with additional clarifications published in TOI on April 22, EC officials rejected his charge of extraordinary surge in last two hours. It emphasised that over 6.4 crore electors in Maharashtra, who reached the polling station from 7 am to 6 pm on November 20, 2024, had voted. Thus, about 58 lakh votes were polled per hour on an average. “Going by these average trends, nearly 116 lakh voters could have voted in the last two hours. Therefore, casting of 65 lakh votes by electors in two hours is much below the average hourly voting trends,” an EC functionary pointed out. As regards the anomalies alleged by Rahul in roll revision, the functionary underlined that over 27,000 booth level agents (BLAs) appointed by the Congress were actively involved at every step of the summary revision of Maharashtra rolls ahead of the state polls, including raising claims and objections against the draft roll. Interestingly, while electors increased by 8.1% in Maharashtra since the last assembly poll, the corresponding rise was 13.4% for Jharkhand and 16.2% for Telangana. Congress won both Jharkhand (in alliance with JMM) and Telangana polls. Even after the final roll was published with a total 9.7 crore electors and its copies shared with all political parties including the Congress – allowing them to file two-point appeals, if dissatisfied – only 89 appeals were filed before the first appellate authority (district magistrate) and one before the second (chief electoral officer). “It is thus amply clear that there was no grievance of Congress or any other political party before the conduct of Maharashtra polls,” said the EC functionary. As regards allegations of irregularities in polling, EC officials shared that polling agents of all candidates and parties, including Congress, were present at the polling stations. “Congress’s nominated candidates or their authorized agents did not raise any substantiated allegations with regard to any kind of abnormal voting at the time of scrutiny before the returning officer and the election observers,” said an officer. “It appears that all these facts brought to the Congress notice by EC in its letter dated December 24, 2024, have completely been ignored,” said an EC functionary. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Congress’ Mashaal Rally in Gadchiroli on June 12
Nagpur: Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) will hold ‘Mashaal Rally’ in Gadchiroli on June 12, to create awareness about ‘social, political and agrarian’ issues. Party spokesperson Atul Londhe said, “We will focus on farmer issues apart from what our leader, Rahul Gandhi, wrote about the state assembly polls being rigged in Maharashtra last year.” The rally will be spearheaded by state Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal who is currently locked in a battle of words with his counterpart in BJP Chandrashekhar Bawankule over allegations of Maharashtra assembly polls being rigged. On Saturday, Congress neta Rahul Gandhi wrote an article alleging poll rigging by BJP in Maharashtra, and picked Kamptee constituency as a case study. Since Bawankule represents that constituency, a war-of-words between him and Sapkal ensued. With Sapkal arriving on Monday in Nagpur, this verbal duel is likely to escalate. Congress’ rally is being keenly watched by political observers as local body polls are due in a few months. It was Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra which created quite a stir and traction for the party ahead of Lok Sabha polls. Many leaders in the party believe that such long yatras or at least rallies which connect the party with public directly is a key element in poll strategy to regain lost ground. Bawankule downplays Rane’s ‘Baap’ comment BJP state president Chandrashekhar Bawankule downplayed his party and cabinet colleague Nitesh Rane’s comment, in which he called CM Devendra Fadnavis ‘baap’ (big daddy) of everyone. Political analysts have interpreted Rane’s statement as a jibe at ally Shiv Sena (Shinde). Bawankule said, “I think Rane wanted to say that CM Devendra Fadnavis is there to solve everybody’s problem, someone who takes care of everyone. The word ‘baap’ got mixed up in the sentence and created the confusion.” Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Maharashtra polls were match-fixed, Bihar next: Rahul Gandhi
NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday hit out at the Election Commission after the poll watchdog rejected his allegations of rigging in the 2024 Maharashtra assembly election. Reacting to the EC’s refutation attributed to the commission officials who spoke on anonymity, Gandhi said, “Evasion won’t protect your credibility. Telling the truth will”. Sharing his op-ed published in ‘The Indian Express’, headlined “Match-fixing Maharashtra”, on X, Rahul reiterated the allegations he has been making since the poll’s result was announced. The 2024 Maharashtra assembly election was a “blueprint for rigging democracy”, he said, alleging that this “match-fixing” would next happen in Bihar and “then anywhere BJP is losing”. On EC officials rejecting his claims, Rahul said, “Dear EC, you are a constitutional body. Releasing unsigned, evasive notes to intermediaries is not the way to respond to serious questions.” “If you have nothing to hide, answer the questions in my article and prove it by: Publishing consolidated, digital, machine-readable voter rolls for the most recent elections to the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabhas of all states including Maharashtra and by releasing all post-5 pm CCTV footage from Maharashtra polling booths,” he demanded. Rahul further said, “My article shows how this happened, step by step: Step 1: Rig the panel for appointing the Election Commission. Step 2: Add fake voters to the roll. Step 3: Inflate voter turnout. Step 4: Target the bogus voting exactly where BJP needs to win. Step 5: Hide the evidence.” He said, “It’s not hard to see why BJP was so desperate in Maharashtra. But rigging is like match-fixing – the side that cheats might win the game, but damages institutions and destroys public faith in the result.” Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Formally write to us on Maharashtra ‘rigging’, EC babus dare Rahul Gandhi
NEW DELHI: Election Commission officials on Sunday challenged Congress’ Rahul Gandhi to follow-up on his claims of “rigging” in 2024 Maharashtra assembly elections by formally writing to the poll panel, saying only then can it offer a formal, point-by-point rebuttal of his “baseless allegations”. “It is very strange that even after 24 hours have passed, Rahul has neither written any letter to EC nor sought time with it to air his grievances,” said a senior EC functionary. “It is public knowledge that a constitutional body like EC cannot respond formally to allegations unless they are raised or communicated to it directly,” the functionary added. Rahul, leader of opposition in Lok Sabha, on Saturday hit out at EC after it rejected his allegations of “rigging” in Maharashtra elections in an Op-Ed. He had said the poll was a “blueprint for rigging democracy”and alleged that this “match-fixing” would next happen in Bihar and “then anywhere BJP is losing”. The EC functionary said the poll body is intrigued that Rahul, on one side, says that the issues raised by him with respect to Maharashtra elections are very serious, “but when it comes to putting them down in black and white to EC, he shies away”. It was suggested that Rahul was possibly taken aback by a “truthful and factual, point-by-point rebuttal given by EC once again on Saturday”. EC had earlier clarified the very same issues with full facts and figures in a note in its response to Congress dated Dec 24, 2024, and again through the media on April 22, 2025. “Rahul, through his Op-Ed article, ended up criticising booth level agents (BLAs), polling agents and counting agents appointed by his own party or its candidates, in Maharashtra. His baseless accusations have disrespected 10.5 lakh BLAs, 50 lakh polling officers and one lakh counting supervisors appointed by EC nationwide, by questioning their integrity and hard work,” said an officer. As per EC instructions, footage from CCTV cameras of polling stations can always be scrutinised by the competent high court in any election petition. However, the footage is not shared with the public or political parties by EC to protect the integrity of elections and the privacy of voters. “Does the LoP not trust even the high court now?” asked the officer. EC sources said the commission had, as part of its consultations with national and state parties on all election-related issues, invited Congress for a meeting on May 15, 2025. “But it developed cold feet and requested for some more time,” shared the officer. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Sonia Gandhi undergoes routine check-up in Shimla after blood pressure complaint
NEW DELHI: Senior Congress leader and former party president Sonia Gandhi experienced high blood pressure following which she underwent routine medical tests at a hospital in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s advisor said on Saturday. “She was taken to the hospital after she complained of high blood pressure. It was a routine check-up and she is going back home now,” Naresh Chauhan, media advisor to CM Sukhu, told news agency PTI. — PTI_News (@PTI_News) The Congress parliamentary party chairperson arrived on a personal trip to Shimla along with her daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday. They are staying in Priyanka’s house at Chharabra, located on the outskirts of the popular hill station, the capital of Congress-ruled Himachal Pradesh. In February, Gandhi was admitted to Delhi’s Sir Ganga Ram Hospital after experiencing stomach-related issues. The ex-Rae Bareli MP, who will be 79 in December, did not contest last year’s Lok Sabha polls due to health reasons, and moved to the Rajya Sabha. The seat was won by her son Rahul Gandhi, now the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https://timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.