Why Congress Backed Vijay After the Election | Q&A with TNIE | Kaveree Bamzai | Praveen Chakravarty
Did the Congress miss an opportunity by not aligning with Vijay before the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections? In this exclusive interview, Rajya Sabha MP Praveen Chakravarty opens up about the data that predicted Vijay’s rise, why Congress eventually decided to support him, and what the party learnt from the Tamil Nadu verdict. He also discusses: Why young voters rejected traditional politics Congress’ internal debates on the Vijay alliance Rahul Gandhi’s role after the election The changing aspirations of Gen Z voters Lessons for the Congress ahead of the 2029 General Election The future of Tamil Nadu politics Watch the full conversation for an in-depth analysis of one of the biggest political shifts in Tamil Nadu. Subscribe to The New Indian Express for more exclusive interviews and political analysis. Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
AMMA crisis deepens as Revathy, Padmapriya quit, cite ‘patriarchy and power politics’
WCC members resign from the Malayalam actors’ body, saying their demand for safer workplaces and accountability has gone unheard. KOCHI: The crisis within the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) deepened on Monday with actors Revathy and Padmapriya resigning from their primary membership in the organisation, saying it had increasingly become shaped by “patriarchy and power politics”. In a joint statement released on social media, the two actors said that for nearly a decade, their demand had remained unchanged – safer workplaces, dignity, accountability and equal treatment for every member. “The price of asking, for us, has been silence and distance. From colleagues, from friends, from spaces that once felt like home. Still, we stayed. For hope has a remarkable ability to survive disappointment,” they said. The duo further stated that resignations following the release of the Hema Committee report were “not an act of principle” but “an escape from accountability”. Revathy and Padmapriya are members of the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC), formed in 2017 to push for structural reforms in the Malayalam film industry after the 2017 actor assault case. “AMMA was meant to stand as a collective voice for all actors. But it has become increasingly shaped by patriarchy and power politics, weakening its founding ideals. Walking away for us now is not defeat. It is self-respect,” the statement said, adding that they would continue to work towards a more equitable film industry outside the organisation. Their resignations come at a time when AMMA is facing one of the biggest crises in its history. The executive committee headed by president Shwetha Menon resigned following the association’s annual general body meeting on June 21, where members voted to remove the committee over alleged irregularities and appointed an ad hoc committee headed by actor and MLA Ramesh Pisharody to oversee the organisation until fresh elections. However, Menon later asserted that she continued to be AMMA president and described the ad hoc committee as “illegitimate”. The standoff intensified after Pisharody stepped down from the ad hoc committee last week. The turmoil has been compounded by fresh allegations from actors, including Ansiba Hassan and Maala Parvathi, who accused Menon and her supporters of communal polarisation.Meanwhile, industry stalwarts Mammootty and Mohanlal have largely remained silent, refraining from publicly taking sides as the crisis continues to escalate. Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
No pay parity for medical interns despite reminders to oversight commission
This is despite Health Ministry twice writing to the NMC to “examine” the issue of pay parity, a burning issue with medical students of both public and private colleges. NEW DELHI: The National Medical Commission (NMC) appears to be dilly-dallying on the issue of pay parity for all undergraduate medical interns, whether they are studying in government or private colleges, according to an RTI. This is despite the Union Health Ministry twice writing to the NMC, which regulates medical education in the country, to “examine” the issue of pay parity, a burning issue with medical students and raised multiple times by various medical associations. In February, the NMC accepted that there is no stipend parity and that an amendment is needed in accordance with the statutory process. However, in an RTI response, dated June 30, the NMC said, “As and when the regulations are revised or amended, the inputs will be sought from stakeholders.” The response was to RTI activist Dr KV Babu’s query on what communication has been shared from the Under-Graduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB), an autonomous board under the NMC, which regulates undergraduate medical education, to the Medical Education Policy Section (MEP) under the Union Health Ministry or by the NMC to the board. What is interesting is that the UGMEB, in its RTI reply, also said that its response to the Health Ministry’s letter to examine the issue was for “information for the input sought by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.” Speaking with this paper, Kerala-based Dr Babu said: “The issue of stipend parity for interns is pending with the government and the NMC for more than four years. The government clearly wrote to NMC in December last year to consider an amendment to regulations to bring stipend parity.” “Though UGMEB replied in February 2026 about the need for an amendment, NMC is yet to start the process, as per the RTI response. Hope the NMC will amend the regulations soon to bring stipend parity,” said Dr Babu, who has been pursuing the twin issue of non-payment of stipends to interns and pay parity. The Health Ministry had asked the NMC to examine amending the key provision of the Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship Regulations, 2021 (CRMI Regulations 2021), which states that “all interns shall be paid a stipend as fixed by the appropriate authority applicable to the institution/University or State.” This provision contrasts with the Post-Graduate Medical Education Regulation-2023, which makes no distinction between interns working in government or private medical colleges. The issue of the stipend is before the Supreme Court. The apex court had slammed the NMC, saying that it is “dragging its feet without any serious concern” on non-payment of stipend to interns and had urged it to “wake up from its slumber and take appropriate steps” in its October 28 order last year. Kavita Bajeli-Datt Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
‘MSMEs being strangled’: Rahul Gandhi alleges transport rules hurting small bus, truck body-builders
“Make in India” and “Vocal for Local” are merely slogans, and the Modi government’s policies cater only to big industrialists, he further alleged. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday accused the Centre of framing transport regulations that are crippling small bus and truck body-building workshops, alleging that micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are being “deliberately strangled” instead of being supported. The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha shared a video on social media of his recent visit to a bus and truck body-building workshop in Jaipur, where he interacted with artisans and manufacturers and heard their concerns. “Sheets of iron… welding sparks… the sound of hammers… amidst all this, artisans forge India’s future through their hard work and skill. In the local bus and truck body-building workshops of Jaipur, one witnesses an India that creates both employment and the nation’s momentum with its own hands,” Gandhi said in his post in Hindi along with the video. “Yet, regrettably, regulations framed within the Ministry of Transport in Delhi are stifling these small-scale industries across the country. The blame for bus fires caused by technical faults is being laid at the door of these artisans who merely construct the vehicle bodies,” the former Congress president said. MSMEs that ought to be supported are instead being “deliberately strangled”, Gandhi alleged. “Make in India” and “Vocal for Local” are merely slogans, and the Modi government’s policies cater only to big industrialists, he further alleged. If these factories shut down, it won’t just halt business as skills will be lost, jobs will vanish, and the burden of inflation on the common people will rise, Gandhi said. As always, it is the hardworking and skilled Indians who will keep paying the price, he added. The video shows Gandhi interacting with local truck and bus body builders, who outlined the challenges they face under the current regulatory framework. Gandhi assured them that he would raise the issue. The visit follows a meeting on March 18 in which Rahul Gandhi and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, along with a delegation of small truck and bus body builders from Rajasthan, met Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari to press for relief. Ahead of that meeting, the delegation had claimed that the government’s new standards and high licensing costs could force many small manufacturers to shut down, putting the livelihoods of millions of families at risk. Following the meeting, Priyanka Gandhi had told reporters, “The truck and bus body builders faced the problem that they have to incur significant expenses to obtain licenses, and the process is also extremely time-consuming. Gadkari has assured us that he will resolve their issues expeditiously.” However, in the video released on Monday, several truck and bus body builders told Rahul Gandhi that their grievances remained unresolved and alleged that the government was “favouring big companies”. Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Call gets louder to name Kochi airport after former Kerala CM K Karunakaran
The UDF’s 2026 election manifesto has revived an old political proposal to rename the Kochi airport at Nedumbassery after former chief minister K Karunakaran. KOCHI: With the chorus for naming the upcoming railway terminal at Ponnurunni marshalling yard as Kochi Central gathering strength, yet another transportation hub is likely to be caught in this wrangling – the airport. The UDF’s 2026 election manifesto has revived an old political proposal to rename the Kochi airport at Nedumbassery after former chief minister K Karunakaran. The move leans on the widely accepted notion that the Congress stalwart is responsible for politically steering the project during its formative years. The proposal is not new. Similar demands have surfaced repeatedly over the past decade and a half, particularly under successive Congress-led governments. But they never moved beyond the proposal stage. As it stands, the new board has not been reconstituted after the recent election. So, it may be a while before the matter is taken up, this paper has learned. But what nudges the needle towards a positive development in this regard are two things. Congress leader and current chief minister V D Satheesan holds the airports portfolio. He is the chairman of the CIAL board, one of its members said, implying that a name change cannot be entirely ruled out. Satheesan being the first CM from the Greater Kochi area also bodes well for the proposal. The first prominent public call to rename the airport after Karunakaran emerged soon after his death in 2010, when Congress leader Shashi Tharoor proposed that the airport be named after “the man without whom it could never have been built.” “To see the airport named after the late Congress stalwart K Karunakaran is very ideal. After all, who can forget his contributions to seeing the establishment rise against multiple headwinds?” politician K V Thomas told TNIE. However, a political observer that TNIE spoke to said that the move will only open a can of worms for the Congress and will, no doubt, sap at their strength just weeks into taking office. “In the past too, the proposal had created a political storm, with certain sections of the Right wing countering the move with a proposal of their own, i.e. to name the airport after Adi Shankara, citing his association with Kalady, a place near Nedumbassery,” he said. Sudheeran backs proposal Thrissur: Veteran Congress leader V M Sudheeran on Sunday urged the UDF-led state government to name Kochi airport after the late former chief minister K Karunakaran. He was speaking after offering floral tributes at the tomb of Karunakaran at Murali Mandiram as part of his 108th birth anniversary celebration organised by DCC. “Nedumbassery airport is the symbol of will power that Karunakaran had to overcome the challenges, both political and organisational,” he said. Ronnie Kuriakose Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
New state, old script: Infighting returns to haunt Congress’s Punjab poll plan
NEW DELHI: The Congress is staring at a crisis in Punjab. Does this read as a surprise? Well, not really! It’s the same old story of infighting and power tussle between the state leaders which has played out so many times for the Congress in so many states in the last one decade. Remember Rajasthan, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and yes, also Punjab in the run up to the 2022 assembly elections. Each of these states had the same story unfolding almost in a similar pattern. Step 1: Making of the crisis – power tussle between state leaders. Step 2: Incubation period – a procrastinating Congress high command preferring to look the other way Step 3: Cosmetic actions – Verbal warnings and probe panels to find the obvious and delay real action Step 4: The rebellion – a delayed or at times no meaningful intervention pushing one faction to revolt Step 5: The defections – disgruntled leaders leaving the party for greener pastures making it easy for the leadership as they no longer need to act Step 6: Electoral defeat – And finally, a loss in the elections Well, this may read harsh. But this is closer to the truth. Analyse the crisis in each of the states mentioned above and you will find this pattern playing out step by step – perhaps with some variations. In most of these states, leadership tussle was allowed to blossom into a full blown crisis because of the reluctance of Congress high command to intervene decisively at the right time. Congress Punjab crisis Now, let’s look at the crisis brewing in Punjab. Around 10 days back, Rahul Gandhi – the “Bhagya Vidhata” of the Congress – gave a pep talk to the leaders in Punjab. This is what he said: “You have to fight collectively, Punjab is an important state, and we stand a very good chance … ” Some questions: What has the Congress done to ensure that its leaders in Punjab fight unitedly? What ground work has the party done since its last defeat in the state to claim that it has a very good chance? Now, either Rahul Gandhi was not briefed about the real ground situation in poll-bound Punjab or he was intentionally ignoring the obvious and following the drill of pep talk. Whatever be the reason, the cracks in Punjab Congress are now out in the open. And it took just one decision from the high command to trigger this crisis. Ironically, a close look and you realise that even this decision, which was perhaps over four years late, steered clear of any change and focussed on maintaining the status quo in the state. Congress3 Decision four years late? Well, it was in 2022 that the Congress was decimated in Punjab by Arvind Kejriwal’s AAP. The grand-old-party came down from 77 to 18 while the AAP went up from 20 to 95. That sums up the story of the 2022 elections. The Congress had four long years to rejig the state organisation and give the new leadership time to prepare for the 2027 elections. Dissents if any would have been handled with time. But then we all know that the Congress does not believe in the age old adage : “A stitch in time saves nine.” So, nothing happened till the next elections came knocking on the doors. And finally when the leadership eventually focused on Punjab – it triggered a crisis. The fact that this decision was to “maintain the status quo” meant that the state leaders who were hoping to get a prominent role were left disappointed. Senior leader Manish Tewari, who was assigned no role in the rejig, raised the first voice of dissent with a cryptic note on X in which he wished he had an antidote for the “insecurities of individuals” and “institutions”. Then followed former chief minister and 2022’s compromise candidate Charanjeet Singh Channi – who had led the Congress to its historic defeat five years back. Channi, who lost from both the assembly seats he contested then, is unhappy with the leadership after being ignored for the post of state president. Channi was appointed as the chairman of the campaign committee but did not bother with the customary thanks to the leadership in a subtle dissent. A meeting called by “unhappy” Channi to discuss the leadership issue was attended by several important state leaders posing a question mark on the Congress’s decision to continue with Amarinder Singh Raja Warring as the state party chief. The BJP was quick to take digs at the Congress. Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu, a former Congressman (remember Rahul Gandhi’s traitor jibe that stirred a storm) who joined BJP in 2024, took a swipe at Warring. Bittu recalled a famous scene from Sholay. Drawing a parallel with Asrani’s iconic jailor, whose entire contingent marches away with commands of “right, left” while he is left standing alone, Ravneet Singh said a similar situation has unfolded in the Punjab Congress with Raja Warring retained on the top post. He said almost Raja Warring’s entire team has drifted towards Charanjit Channi, leaving the state Congress chief isolated. In a tongue-in-cheek remark, Bittu advised Warring to stop resisting the inevitable, join the “Channi wagon”, and head to Channi’s residence along with the rest of his colleagues. Congress4 Does faction-ridden Congress stand a chance in Punjab? Well, theoretically “yes”, but practically perhaps “no.” Punjab has traditionally been one of the best bets for the Congress over the years. The Congress has won five of the 13 assembly elections between 1966 and 2022 and as a party has given maximum chief ministers to the state. With Akalis the only challenger for years, the grand-old-party kept returning to power in the state despite controversies and infighting. Even the scars of 1984 – the operation Blue Star and the anti-Sikh killings – did not cause a permanent harm to the party’s electoral prospects. Not any more. The 2022 assembly election changed the template.
‘Is Rahul Gandhi from Jandiala Guru?’: AAP taunts Congress over high command
Chandigarh: Mocking the Congress over its continuing internal turmoil in Punjab, the ruling AAP on Sunday accused the party of “double standards”, asking why it was waiting for directions from the high command after repeatedly attacking AAP over alleged remote control from Delhi. Addressing a press conference, AAP Punjab media in-charge Baltej Pannu said the Congress had criticised AAP by claiming it was being run from Delhi, but was now itself looking to the central leadership to resolve its internal crisis. “Is Rahul Gandhi from Jandiala Guru?” Pannu asked, taking a swipe at the Congress amid AICC in-charge Bhupesh Baghel’s visit to Punjab to meet party functionaries. Pannu said the Congress had become “directionless”, with its leaders consumed by an internal leadership battle instead of presenting an agenda for Punjab. He also alleged that the Congress, BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal had become “Team A, B and C”, united only in targeting chief minister Bhagwant Mann because they had “no answer” to the AAP govt’s performance. Taking another swipe at the BJP, Pannu claimed the party had effectively become a “Congress wing” in Punjab, saying most of its prominent faces had crossed over from the Congress while its original leadership had been sidelined. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
‘System failed our children’: Congress holds candle march in Dehradun over paper leaks
The march began from the residence of 23-year-old Riya Thapa in Pooja Vihar. Riya, a resident of Dehradun, was found dead at her home a few days ago. DEHRADUN: Congress workers took out a candle march in Dehradun on Saturday to protest recurring paper leaks, corruption and mismanagement in competitive examinations across the country. The march began from the residence of 23-year-old Riya Thapa in Pooja Vihar. Riya, a resident of Dehradun, was found dead at her home a few days ago. A Class 12 topper with 97.6% marks, she was preparing for NEET after completing school. Family members, relatives, local residents and Congress workers paid tribute to her and observed a two-minute silence for the peace of her soul. Party leaders said the protest was held both to demand justice for Riya and to highlight the plight of lakhs of aspirants facing uncertainty in national examinations. Congress leader Vaibhav Walia said Riya’s death reflects a larger crisis in the education system. “Riya Thapa’s untimely death is not just the tragedy of one family. It is a symbol of the failure of the country’s education system,” Walia said. He alleged that repeated paper leaks in NEET and other examinations, along with corruption and administrative negligence, have pushed the future of millions of students into darkness. “Students who work for years have lost faith in the government’s system. Their dreams are being toyed with again and again,” he said. “The government has completely failed to secure the future of the country’s youth.” The Congress organised a torchlight procession in Dehradun, led by State Mahila Congress president Jyoti Rautela. Students, parents, youth and citizens joined the march to demand accountability and a fair examination system. Rautela said the participation showed that young people will no longer accept any tampering with their future. “By joining this people’s movement, the youth have sent a clear message that they will not accept any kind of manipulation with their future,” she said. She added that the student campaign being led by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi has now become the voice of the common people. “This is not just a fight for justice for Riya Thapa. It is a fight for a fair and transparent examination system, for accountability, and for the dignity of every student in the country,” Rautela said. The Congress said similar protests will be held in other districts to press for strict laws against paper leaks and for the protection of students appearing in competitive examinations. Narendra Sethi Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
‘Historical necessity to make Rahul Gandhi PM’: Telangana CM Revanth Reddy
NEW DELHI: Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy on Saturday announced that Rahul Gandhi, leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha, should be the next Prime Minister, urging the people of Telangana to support his efforts to promote Gandhi as the country’s future leader. “The people of Telangana need to stand in support of this. We have a duty to express our gratitude to Sonia Gandhi, who granted us Telangana. Walk with me and let us make Rahul Gandhi the Prime Minister in 2029. And the first step towards this must be taken right here from Midjil Mandal,” he added. Addressing a public meeting after laying foundation stones for development works in Midjil Mandal, Reddy appealed to the public to express their gratitude to Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi for the statehood of Telangana by backing Rahul Gandhi’s prime ministerial bid. “Congress will remain in power until 2034. Congress must come back to power in the state, and Rahul Gandhi must become the Prime Minister of this country. There is a historical necessity in the country to make Rahul Gandhi the Prime Minister,” Reddy said. Reddy’s appeal to the people of Telangana is significant, given that the state has traditionally been a Congress stronghold before the formation of the BRS. The Congress returned to power in Telangana in December 2023, ending the BRS’s 10-year rule, and has since been focusing on consolidating its position in the state. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Punjab Congress fault lines deepen ahead of 2027 polls; Warring denies factionalism
Amarinder Singh Raja Warring on Saturday said former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi is like his elder brother and there is no factionalism in the party. The fault lines in the Punjab Congress ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections are now clearly visible. While rejecting speculation about internal divisions, state unit president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring on Saturday said former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi is like his elder brother. He added that there is “no factionalism” in the party and expressed confidence that all senior leaders would appear together on a common stage within the next one or two days. Channi’s Delhi visit On the other hand, a day after a large number of senior Congress leaders, gathered at Channi’s residence, demanding that the party high command review its decision on the state leadership, the former chief minister left for Delhi on Saturday. Sources said Channi’s visit to Delhi has triggered speculation over possible efforts to break the political deadlock that has emerged in the state unit following recent organisational appointments made by the Congress ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. Leaders close to Channi argue that the present arrangement has failed to enthuse workers at the grassroots level and that the party leadership needs to address their concerns before preparations for the Assembly polls gather momentum. They remain firm on their demand for a change in state leadership and have indicated that the dissident group could adopt a tougher stance if their concerns are ignored. Throughout these developments, Channi has maintained complete silence. Meanwhile, the dissident camp is awaiting a response from the party high command to its demand for a change in the Punjab Congress leadership. ‘Nothing unusual’ Warring said there was nothing unusual about Congress leaders gathering at Channi’s residence, describing the former chief minister as a senior leader and Chairman of the party’s Campaign Committee. “Channi is our elder brother, a senior leader, and former chief minister. If some Congress leaders meet at his house, there is nothing wrong with that. Tomorrow, leaders may gather at my residence or at Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa’s home as well. That should not be interpreted as infighting,” he said, adding that whenever Channi wants, he can meet the high command; nobody can stop him, and the senior leadership respects him. Warring further said that Rahul Gandhi and the Congress high command hold Channi in high regard, and there is nothing inappropriate about the former Chief Minister meeting the party leadership. He added that neither Channi nor any other senior leader has acted against party interests, and that strict action would be taken against those former MLAs or leaders found making statements against the party or indulging in indiscipline. ‘No leader above organisational rules’ Warring said that no leader, including himself, is above the organisation’s rules. “No one is allowed to cross the party’s limits, even if that person is the state president. Everyone must know their boundaries,” he said. He also urged party workers to exercise restraint and introspect before making public statements. ‘Tickets to contest polls would be allotted on merit’ On ticket distribution, Warring said tickets would be allotted on merit and that this decision was not in anyone’s control. “As far as tickets for the Assembly elections are concerned, everything will be on merit. If Raja Warring likes someone’s face or not, it will not matter. The person who is deserving will get the ticket. The high command will decide; our job is only to recommend. I do not know whose names will be shortlisted or rejected. After proper analysis, tickets will be given. This is the criteria of Rahul Gandhi,” he said. Warring added that the Congress wants to give tickets to common people and new faces, as India is a young country and youth should be better represented. “Tickets will be given to both experienced leaders and the youth in the coming elections,” he said. Meanwhile, his supporters have been posting messages claiming that only a small section of Congress leaders attended Friday’s meeting at Channi’s house, and that the overwhelming majority of the party continues to stand with the decision taken by the Congress high command. Harpreet Bajwa Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights