Latest India news: Today’s Live Updates 03-Dec-2023

The recent state assembly elections in India have revealed several factors that give the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) an advantage heading into the national polls in 2024. Despite the Congress party winning in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh in 2018, the BJP swept all three states in the Lok Sabha elections in 2019. This suggests that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal and connection with voters remains strong, particularly in the heartland. Additionally, the BJP's robust organisation and motivated cadres, as well as its narrative that resonates with voters, further cement its advantage. The BJP's ability to turn incumbency into an advantage is also a significant factor in its success.

A delegation led by Revanth Reddy, the president of the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC), met with the Governor of Telangana, Tamilisai Soundararajan, to stake a claim to form the government in the state. The delegation submitted a memorandum to the Governor, stating that the Congress, along with its allies, had the support of 63 MLAs in the 119-member Legislative Assembly. The Congress had emerged as the single largest party in the recently concluded elections in Telangana, winning 46 seats. However, the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) won 57 seats and is currently in power.

India and the Maldives are discussing the continued operation of Indian aircraft provided to the Maldives for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations. Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu recently stated that the Indian government has agreed to withdraw military personnel from the country, including those operating the aircraft. However, Indian officials have not yet responded to the claim. The two sides are now in discussions on how to keep the helicopters and aircraft operational. Over the past five years, the Indian personnel have carried out over 500 medical evacuations and more than 450 missions to safeguard the maritime security of the Maldives.

The Bharat Jodo Yatra, led by Rahul Gandhi, energized Congress party members but had mixed results in the recent assembly elections. While the party won in Karnataka and Telangana, it suffered defeats in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. The yatra, which passed through Karnataka and Telangana, seemed to have a positive impact on the Congress' performance in those states. However, it did not have the same effect in the Hindi-heartland states. Political commentators have differing opinions on the yatra, with some believing it was a turning point for the Congress, while others feel it was high on optics but low on substance.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi claimed that he had predicted the Bharatiya Janata Party's victory in the Rajasthan assembly election three months before the polls. He hailed BJP's big win in the assembly polls as a victory for his government's agenda of self-reliant India, asserting that its hat-trick in the states is a guarantee of its hat-trick of Lok Sabha poll wins in 2024. He warned opposition parties to not support those working against the country's interests at a time when development is taking place at a fast pace. Modi also stated that the results show popular support for the BJP's battle against corruption.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has referred to his party's recent victories in three key states as the "victory of self-reliant India". The BJP won in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh, and Modi described the wins as "historic" and "unprecedented". He thanked the voters for their support and praised the party workers for their hard work. The victories are seen as a boost for Modi's re-election campaign in the upcoming general elections in 2019.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a police complaint against officials from Tamil Nadu's Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) for criminal trespass, stealing sensitive documents, and allowing unauthorized individuals to conduct an illegal search of the ED's office. The complaint comes after a search was conducted at the ED's sub-zonal office in Madurai following the arrest of an enforcement officer who allegedly received a bribe. The ED alleges that 35 people, including some claiming to be from the police, entered their office and accessed sensitive case records and internal documents. The ED has requested that an FIR be filed against the accused.

Less than 1% of voters in the recent assembly elections in India used the "none of the above" (NOTA) option, according to the election commission. In Madhya Pradesh, 0.99% of voters chose the NOTA option, while in Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Rajasthan, the figures were 1.29%, 0.74% and 0.96% respectively. Introduced in 2013, NOTA allows voters to reject all candidates standing in an election. However, critics argue that the option is ineffective unless the maximum number of people use it and it is declared the winner. The NOTA option has its own symbol - a ballot paper with a black cross across it.

In the recent elections in Telangana, Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Katipally Venkata Ramana Reddy, also known as KVR, managed to defeat both the outgoing Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and the possible incoming Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. Reddy won the key Kamareddy assembly by defeating Rao by 6,741 votes and Reddy by 11,736 votes. The BJP IT cell head, Amit Malviya, congratulated Reddy on his victory and predicted that the BJP would not only win big in the Lok Sabha but also come to power in Telangana in the next election.

The Janata Dal-Secular (JDS) Chief and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda congratulated the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on their landslide victory in the Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan assembly elections. The BJP is leading in all three states, with the Congress party trailing behind. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed his happiness over the results, stating that it reflects the people's support for good governance and development. The results of these elections are significant as they set the tone for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in 2024.

Telangana Congress chief A Revanth Reddy has requested local police to make security arrangements for the swearing-in ceremony of the new chief minister, which is scheduled to take place on either 4 or 9 December. Reddy's party is expected to win over 60 seats in Telangana, unseating incumbent chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao. Reddy reportedly called the Director General of Police and other officials to discuss preparations for the ceremony, which is likely to be attended by several chief ministers, former chief ministers and senior leaders. The event is expected to take place at Hyderabad's LB Stadium.

Outgoing Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot, has called the results of the recent assembly elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh unexpected. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wrested power from the Congress in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, while the BJP retained power in Madhya Pradesh. Gehlot acknowledged that new faces might not have delivered better results, and emphasised that the Congress's schemes, laws, and promises were expected to secure victory. He criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for inciting people in the name of religion during the campaign.

Union Minister Piyush Goyal has mocked Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the Indian National Congress, on social media following the party's heavy defeat in assembly elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Goyal shared a video clip on Twitter in which he highlighted how Gandhi's "prediction came true" with the party's defeat in these states. The Congress is trailing behind the halfway mark in all three northern states, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leading in the majority of seats. However, the Congress is set to dethrone the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi party in Telangana.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has suspended the Director General of Police (DGP) for the state of Telangana, Anjani Kumar, for violating the model code of conduct during the counting of votes for four states. Kumar, along with two other police officers, visited the home of a candidate from the state Congress party during the counting process. The ECI deemed this action to be a violation of the election code and suspended Kumar. Sources suggest that Kumar's visit to the candidate's home indicated a desire for favoritism.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated that the recent election results in India have shown that the days of appeasement and caste politics are over, and that the "new India" votes based on the politics of performance. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) appears set to win control of Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh from the Congress, while strengthening its seats in Madhya Pradesh. Shah attributed the BJP's success to the welfare policies and good governance of the double engine government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He also highlighted the party's improved performance in Telangana and pledged to continue working for the state's development.