Southern CMs Vijay, Revanth, Sidda likely to join Satheesan’s swearing-in in show of opposition unity
The presence of these leaders is being viewed as politically significant, particularly in the context of the growing coordination among non-BJP parties in the southern region and the Congress party’s efforts to strengthen its influence across the South. The swearing-in ceremony of Keralam Chief Minister-designate V. D. Satheesan on Monday is set to acquire a wider political dimension with the expected participation of chief ministers from neighbouring southern states, reflecting both regional solidarity and the evolving political equations in South India after the recent Assembly elections. Chief ministers from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Telangana have been invited to attend the oath-taking ceremony scheduled to be held at the Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram. The presence of these leaders is being viewed as politically significant, particularly in the context of the growing coordination among non-BJP parties in the southern region and the Congress party’s efforts to strengthen its influence across the South. The invitation extended to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay has attracted considerable attention. Vijay, who recently assumed office after the Tamil Nadu Assembly election, shares a politically important equation with the Congress leadership, which had supported his government formation efforts in the state. His expected participation in the Keralam ceremony is being seen as a continuation of the emerging political engagement between regional parties and the Congress in southern India. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy are also expected to attend the event, lending support to the new United Democratic Front government in Keralam. Both Karnataka and Telangana are currently governed by the Congress, and their participation is likely to reinforce the party’s attempts to project a united southern political front. Senior Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, are also expected to be present at the ceremony, adding to the national political visibility of the event. Political observers believe the swearing-in ceremony could become more than a routine constitutional event, as it is likely to serve as a platform for opposition leaders from the South to signal greater cooperation on national and regional issues. The participation of chief ministers from neighbouring states also underlines Keralam’s continuing importance in the broader opposition landscape ahead of future political alignments at the national level. Preparations for the ceremony are underway in Thiruvananthapuram, where thousands of party workers, supporters and leaders from across the country are expected to gather for the formal inauguration of the new government. Security arrangements have been intensified in the state capital in anticipation of the arrival of senior political leaders and large public participation. Satheesan, who led the UDF to a decisive electoral victory in Kerala, is expected to take oath along with members of his cabinet at the ceremony. The event is likely to mark the beginning of a politically significant phase for the Congress-led alliance in Kerala, while also highlighting the party’s broader attempts to consolidate its presence across southern India through coordination with regional allies and friendly state governments. 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
Kharge only leader fit to replace Siddaramaiah if CM change needed: Rayareddy
CM’s economic advisor Basavaraja Rayareddy says Siddaramaiah will complete term, calls for cabinet reshuffle by May 30 and targets PM Modi over fuel prices and economy. KOPPAL: If there is a need to change Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, then AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge is the only one qualified to replace him, said the CM’s economic advisor, Basavaraja Rayareddy. “Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will meet (LoP in Lok Sabha) Rahul Gandhi soon and the cabinet reshuffle or expansion in the state can be done by May 30. I believe that Siddaramaiah will continue as CM till the end of the current term. It is not right to change the CM repeatedly. If the cabinet is re-formed, effective governance can be given to people during the remaining two years. We can correct our shortcomings and come to power in 2028 as well,” Rayareddy said at a press conference on Saturday. “We will face the upcoming elections under the leadership of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and KPCC President D K Shivakumar. Mallikarjun Kharge, who has the same administrative experience as Siddaramaiah, should become the CM.” Asked if he has sought a ministerial berth, Rayareddy said, “I have not asked for anything I promise.” “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has increased the prices of petrol and diesel using the pretext of West Asia war. The country’s rupee has depreciated and the Modi administration has completely failed. He should resign. An economist should become the PM,” he said. Basavaraja Rayareddy 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
Thiruvananthapuram gears up for swearing-in of Congress govt
The cabinet will later hold its first meeting and submit its recommendation to the governor for convening the assembly. THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Preparations are in full swing at the Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram for the swearing-in ceremony of the UDF government scheduled for Monday morning. A massive stage with seating capacity for around 10,000 people is being set up at the venue. It is expected that nearly one lakh people might attend the ceremony. To enable the public to watch the oath-taking ceremony live from 10am on Monday, video walls are being installed around the stadium premises. In addition to that, LED screens will also be set up at various parts of the city, including Nishagandhi Auditorium premises. Entry for the public will be regulated through passes. Following the ceremony, the ministers will proceed to Raj Bhavan for a reception hosted by the governor. The cabinet will later hold its first meeting and submit its recommendation to the governor for convening the assembly. Senior Congress leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi are expected to attend the event. Chief ministers from neighbouring states have also been invited. The schedule announced for the new government includes the cabinet swearing-in on Monday, oath-taking of MLAs on May 21, speaker election on May 22, governor’s policy address on May 29 and presentation of the state budget on June 5. 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
Mamata calls for TMC rebuild after Bengal polls, says ‘those who want to leave can go’
The TMC supremo said the organisation would rise again despite suffering a crushing defeat in the recently concluded assembly elections. After the TMC faced its worst electoral setback in years, party supremo Mamata Banerjee on Saturday urged its candidates who contested the recent assembly polls to rebuild the organisation, asserting that those wishing to quit the party were free to do so. At a meeting with the Trinamool Congress’ contesting candidates at her Kalighat residence, attended by its national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, she said the organisation would rise again despite suffering a crushing defeat in the recently concluded assembly elections. “Those who are leaving for other parties, let them go. I will rebuild the party afresh. To those who are staying, I say rebuild the damaged party offices, paint them and reopen them. If needed, I too will paint them. Trinamool Congress will never bow down. People’s mandate has been looted,” Banerjee was quoted as saying by party sources. The remarks came days after the TMC was reduced from the ruling party to the opposition benches following a dramatic reversal in electoral fortunes. Of the 294 assembly seats in the state, the party managed to win only 80. Mamata Banerjee herself suffered defeat in Bhabanipur, long considered her political bastion. The TMC had fielded candidates in 291 seats, leaving three seats in the Darjeeling hills to its ally Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM) led by Anit Thapa. Of these, only 80 candidates emerged victorious, while 211 lost, including several heavyweight leaders and ministers. The meeting at Kalighat was convened for candidates who had contested the elections on the party’s ticket amid reports of internal discontent and speculation over possible defections after the electoral debacle. Saturday’s meeting echoed Banerjee’s remarks made a day after the results were declared. Addressing a press conference on May 5, she had said she was aware that some leaders might switch camps. “I know many will leave for other parties. They may have their own compulsions. I have nothing to say about that. Whoever wants to go may go. I do not believe in forcibly holding anyone back,” she had said. The TMC’s official X handle later posted photographs of the meeting and praised the contesting candidates for their fight during the election campaign. “Today, our Hon’ble Chairperson @MamataOfficial and our Hon’ble National General Secretary @abhishekaitc met with our contesting candidates, at Kalighat. They fought with unmatched courage despite facing unimaginable atrocities and relentless intimidation. The Trinamool Congress stands united as one family. We will never bow before those who loot the people’s mandate. Truth will prevail,” the party posted on X. The post also reiterated the party’s charge that the electoral mandate had been “stolen”, a claim repeatedly raised by TMC leaders after the poll results. Party insiders said Banerjee used the meeting to boost the morale of candidates who had contested the polls and send a message of unity amid a difficult phase for the organisation. 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
BJP MPs Kishan Reddy, Bandi Sanjay won elections with help of bogus votes: TPCC chief Mahesh
TPCC chief B Mahesh Kumar Goud on Friday urged the Election Commission to ensure that no eligible voter is disenfranchised while conducting the Special Intensive Revision exercise in Telangana. HYDERABAD: Alleging that BJP MPs G Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay Kumar had won elections through “bogus votes” and were therefore nervous about the ongoing debate over voter verification, TPCC chief B Mahesh Kumar Goud on Friday urged the Election Commission to ensure that no eligible voter is disenfranchised while conducting the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Telangana. Pointing out that there are no elections scheduled in the state for the next two years, Mahesh said the Congress had urged the Election Commission to conduct the SIR exercise in Telangana over a one-year period instead of rushing the process. The TPCC chief, along with MLAs, MPs and MLCs, met State Chief Electoral Officer C Sudharshan Reddy at BRK Bhavan and submitted a representation on the SIR process. Addressing the media later, the TPCC chief alleged that large-scale voter manipulation had taken place across 14 states and claimed that the voter verification exercise was being carried out in an “undemocratic manner”. Referring to West Bengal, he alleged that political equations in the state were altered through voter list manipulation, resulting in parties expected to come to power losing elections. He alleged that the large-scale deletion of voters during the SIR process altered the electoral outcome in West Bengal. While 90 lakh names were deleted from the electoral rolls in the eastern state, only 30 lakh were added, he claimed. Mahesh also expressed concern over conducting the SIR process alongside the ongoing Census exercise, stating that it could create confusion and irregularities. He warned that poor voters could face difficulties in producing required documents if their names were deleted from voter lists. Demanding safeguards in the verification process, the TPCC president said that voters should be given at least three months’ time and Booth Level Officers should visit households three times for proper verification. He cautioned that in some places there was a danger of deleting votes under the pretext of identifying “foreign nationals”. The TPCC chief said no citizenship proof should be made mandatory during the SIR process and pointed out that a passport was only one among the 14 accepted documents. He said the voter verification drive should be conducted without harassing citizens. Mahesh also alleged that, under the guise of the SIR exercise, there was an attempt to target and delete the votes of people who believe in secular values. 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
NEET aspirant dies by suicide in Rajasthan days after exam cancellation over paper leak allegations
According to family members, Pradeep was expecting to score over 650 marks in NEET-UG 2026, a score they believed could have got him admission to any reputed government medical college. JAIPUR: A 23-year-old NEET aspirant died by suicide in Rajasthan’s Sikar on Friday, days after the cancellation of the NEET-2026 examination amid allegations of a massive paper leak. The deceased, identified as Pradeep Mahich, allegedly hanged himself from a ceiling fan using his sister’s scarf at his rented accommodation in Sikar’s Jaldhari Nagar area on Piprali Road. Originally from a village in Jhunjhunu district, Pradeep had been preparing for NEET in Sikar for the last three years. According to family members, Pradeep was expecting to score over 650 marks in NEET-UG 2026, a score they believed could have got him admission to any reputed government medical college. His relatives claim he had been under severe mental trauma ever since the National Testing Agency (NTA) cancelled the examination following the paper leak controversy. Pradeep’s family and members of the local community gathered outside the mortuary of SK Hospital after the incident. Pradeep, the only son of a financially struggling family, lived in Sikar with his two sisters who were preparing for railway recruitment exams, his father Rajesh Kumar Meghwal said. According to police and family members, the incident took place on Friday afternoon. Pradeep’s younger sister had gone to coaching classes while his elder sister was in the bathroom, when Pradeep allegedly hanged himself inside the room. When the elder sister returned, she found him hanging from the ceiling fan. She immediately informed the landlord and alerted the police. Police personnel reached the spot and rushed Pradeep to SK Hospital, where doctors declared him dead. The police is investigating the matter based on the information provided by the family. The tragedy comes amid a widening investigation into the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak, which has placed Rajasthan’s coaching hub Sikar under intense scrutiny. Before the examination held on May 3, a 150-page document titled “Guess Paper” was allegedly circulated among students in Rajasthan’s Sikar and Jhunjhunu districts. The document reportedly contained 410 questions, of which 135 are alleged to have matched the actual NEET paper. According to sources, the similarities extended beyond the questions themselves. Officials reportedly found matches in the sequence of options, language patterns, and even punctuation marks. On May 7, the NTA acknowledged receiving inputs regarding alleged irregularities, four days after the examination. Around the same time, Special Operations Group (SOG) teams reached Sikar and Jhunjhunu to begin an investigation. On May 8, the NTA formally handed over the matter to central agencies. The Rajasthan SOG subsequently launched a full-scale investigation into the alleged paper leak. By May 12, at least 13 people had reportedly been arrested from Sikar and several other locations across the country, including Jaipur, Nashik and Gurugram. Among those currently in custody are Dinesh Binwal, his brother Mangilal, Mangilal’s son Vikas, and another accused, Rakesh, who allegedly operated a consultancy firm linked to the racket. Investigators suspect that Dinesh Binwal allegedly procured the leaked paper for his son Rishi, who was preparing for NEET in Sikar, and later sold it to other candidates for money. The probe has also expanded to examine admissions secured by other members of the Binwal family last year. Sources claim that five children from the families of Dinesh and Mangilal, all considered academically average, had reportedly cleared NEET in 2025. The revelation has now raised fresh questions over the integrity of last year’s examination process as well. Rajesh Asnani 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
Opposition slams Rs 3 fuel price hike; says move will worsen inflation, economic distress
Congress said the fuel crisis was caused by government failures and incompetence, with ordinary citizens bearing the brunt of the economic distress. NEW DELHI: Several opposition parties, including the Congress, Samajwadi Party, Trinamool Congress and CPI(M), on Friday attacked the government over the increase in petrol and diesel prices, saying the decision would aggravate inflation and hurt economic growth. Leading the opposition criticism, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the public was paying for the Modi government’s “mistakes”, adding: “The Rs 3 shock has already arrived, the remaining recovery will be extracted in installments.” Party President Mallikarjun Kharge accused the Centre of pushing the country into an economic crisis because of a “leadership crisis, lack of vision and incompetence”. Kharge said the crisis was created by the government and ordinary citizens were suffering its consequences. He alleged that apart from the global fuel crisis, the Modi government’s failures and widespread incompetence were major reasons behind India’s economic troubles. In a statement, the CPM Politburo condemned the fuel price increase, saying it would place an additional burden on people already struggling with inflation, unemployment, stagnant wages and worsening economic distress. The party demanded an immediate rollback and asked its units to organise protests against the hike. CPI General Secretary D Raja said the crisis stemmed from PM Narendra Modi’s “disastrous foreign policy” and alleged that the government was functioning like a recovery agency for crony capitalists and foreign interests. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said the bicycle, his party’s election symbol, remained the only alternative. The Trinamool Congress accused the Centre of deceiving citizens after the elections and deepening the economic crisis. Addressing a press conference, TMC leader Sagarika Ghose said, “After looting votes, you are now looting the purse of citizens”. Preetha Nair 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
KC Venugopal will remain in the game with ‘powerplay’, say his supporters
There is palpable discontent within the Venugopal camp over the manner in which he was, according to his supporters, “disgracefully” elbowed out by the Congress high command. THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Till Thursday, for some, Congress organisational general secretary K C Venugopal was the ‘kingmaker’. A powerful ‘Goliath’. But all that changed as the political landscape around him shifted dramatically in a matter of hours. Within party circles, the mighty Goliath appeared to fall before ‘David’ — V D Satheesan. And, with the tables now turned, the question being asked is: What next for the once-invincible and trusted lieutenant of Rahul Gandhi? Venugopal’s name was among the first to emerge for the post of chief minister after the UDF’s sweeping victory in Kerala. His political rise — from KSU state president in 1988, Youth Congress state president, MLA, MP, state minister, Union minister, and finally to the Congress’s second most powerful organisational post — had long been regarded as enviable. Consequently, he has as many detractors as admirers, with many now privately rejoicing his fall. Meanwhile, there is palpable discontent within the Venugopal camp over the manner in which he was, according to his supporters, “disgracefully” elbowed out by the Congress high command. “The high command should have asked him to stay away from the race if it had decided that Satheesan would be the chief minister,” said an associate of Venugopal. “Venugopal has played the role of kingmaker in several states while selecting chief ministers. However, in his own state, he could not even announce the next chief minister. The high command could have avoided such a humiliation.” Notably, it was Venugopal who played a major role in making Satheesan the leader of the opposition in 2021, even though Ramesh Chennithala enjoyed majority support in the Congress legislative party at that time. Subsequently, however, the Venugopal camp got rattled as Satheesan began asserting control over the organisation. As a counter, Venugopal first tightened his grip over the Youth Congress by appointing loyalists. Then, during the KPCC reorganisation, his faction secured near-complete control over the organisation. This was reflected in the distribution of Assembly election tickets, helping him secure the support of more than 40 MLAs for his chief ministerial ambitions. Meanwhile, the Venugopal camp dismissed murmurs that the Satheesan faction had begun influencing these MLAs. Leaders close to Venugopal indicated that, as long as he enjoys the trust of Rahul and remains the AICC organisational general secretary, he would continue to play a major role in the state Congress in the coming days. “In politics, power dictates everything. A Congress chief minister cannot move forward without relying on the AICC leadership. That dependence begins with cabinet formation,” said a veteran Congress leader. K S Sreejith 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
Kerala CM selection: Priyanka Gandhi’s role, senior leaders’ backing turned tide in favour of VD Satheesan
Sources said Priyanka’s influence was critical, pushing for consideration of public sentiment and grassroots opinion when making the decision. NEW DELHI: A decisive role played by Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi and the strong backing of senior Congress leaders from Kerala worked in favour of V D Satheesan to edge out K C Venugopal and Ramesh Chennithala in the final rounds of consultations to choose the chief minister pick for Kerala, said party sources. While Congress ended 10 days of political uncertainty by naming Satheesan as the CM, the path to the decision-making was anything but smooth. The high-stakes battle for the CM post saw marathon meetings, swirling speculation, last-minute changes, and intense back-channel negotiations. A key factor favouring Satheesan was the risk of potential by-elections if Venugopal were chosen. The UDF would have faced two polls — Venugopal’s assembly seat and the Alappuzha Lok Sabha seat — under politically challenging conditions, senior leaders had warned. Sources said Priyanka’s influence was critical, pushing for consideration of public sentiment and grassroots opinion when making the decision. The leadership was also mindful of the firm support Satheesan enjoyed from the Indian Union Muslim League, the UDF’s key ally. Sources said Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka held at least three rounds of discussions, anticipating potential setbacks in the 2029 general election. The internal divisions even spilled onto the streets. Early this week, posters appeared outside district Congress offices and Priyanka’s Wayanad office, warning Rahul against choosing Venugopal. “Mr Rahul, KC might be your bag bearer, but the people of Kerala will never forgive you,” read one of the posters. The final push for Satheesan came after Rahul’s one-on-one consultations with senior leaders, including former KPCC presidents K Muraleedharan and V M Sudheeran, and veteran leader A K Antony. They stressed that public sentiment, as reflected in widespread protests across the state, should be a decisive factor in selecting the new chief minister. It is learnt that Sudheeran briefed Rahul on Satheesan’s support across all sections of society. The reports from AICC observers had suggested Venugopal enjoyed strong backing, with at least 46 of 63 Congress MLAs in his favour. Insiders say that Chennithala, despite his experience and seniority, was never seriously considered even as a compromise candidate. 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
‘Compromised PM bargained for Adani’s release’: Rahul slams Modi after US drops charges against Billionaire
His remarks came after reports that US authorities agreed to drop charges against the businessman in an alleged bribery scheme. Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi on Friday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that the recent India-US trade talks was aimed at securing relief for billionaire Gautam Adani rather than strengthening trade ties. His remarks came after reports that US authorities agreed to drop charges against the businessman in an alleged bribery scheme. The Congress earlier said it was now clear why the prime minister agreed to what it called a “hopelessly one-sided” India-US trade deal and abruptly halted Operation Sindoor. In a post on X, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, “It is now clear why the PM agreed to the hopelessly one-sided Indo-US trade ‘deal’ that was really a steal by the US. And it is also clear why he abruptly halted Operation Sindoor on May 10 2025, acting on President Trump’s threats rather than on our national interest.” “Reportedly, the Trump Administration is about to drop all charges of corruption against Modani,” he wrote on X. How much more “compromised” can the PM get, Ramesh asked. The US government on Friday agreed to settle a lawsuit filed against Billionaire Gautam Adani and his nephew after they agreed to pay civil penalties of $6 million while his nephew agreed to pay $12 million. In the lawsuit filed in late 2024, the Securities and Exchange Commission accused Indian billionaire Gautam Adani and his nephew Sagar Adani, both leaders of the energy company Adani Green Energy Limited of promising to pay Indian government officials the equivalent of hundreds of millions of dollars in exchange for government contracts to purchase energy at inflated rates. At the same time, the company secured several billions of dollars from Wall Street investors who were allegedly assured that the company had a robust anti-bribery compliance program and were given promises from senior management that no bribery would take place. Those actions, the SEC said at the time, violated antifraud provisions of US securities laws. 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