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Adityanath, his 2 deputies and ministers to enter UP Assembly as MLCs, not MLAs

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9 years ago

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Adityanath, his 2 deputies and ministers to enter UP Assembly as MLCs, not MLAs

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Uttar Pradesh chief minister shies away from contesting by poll to enter state Assembly, election for UP Vidhan Parishad scheduled for September 15

At a time when the BJP has been riding high on its remarkable victory in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections held earlier this year, it seems Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath – who is still a Lok Sabha MP from the state’s Gorakhpur constituency – doesn’t wish to face the electorate in a by poll to be elected to the Vidhan Sabha.

Adityanath, his deputy chief ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya (Lok Sabha MP from Phulpur) and Dinesh Sharma, as also his cabinet colleagues Swatantradev Singh and Mohsin Raza will all enter the Uttar Pradesh assembly as Members of Legislative Council and not MLAs.

The BJP central election committee has finalised their names to contest MLC polls due on September 15 for the five seats in the UP Vidhan Parishad (the state equivalent of Parliament’s upper house – Rajya Sabha) that fell vacant after the resignation of four Samajwadi Party members and one Bahujan Samaj Party MLC.

The MLCs who had resigned earlier this month were Samajawadi Party’s Bukkal Nawab, Yashwant, Sarojini Agarwal and Ashok Bajpai and Bahujan Samaj Party’s Thakur Jaiveer Singh.

Adityanath, his 2 deputies and ministers to enter UP Assembly as MLCs, not MLAs

The SP and BSP MLCs – whose terms were anyway about to expire – had recently resigned from their respective parties when BJP national president Amit Shah was on a visit to Lucknow. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and BSP supremo Mayawati have both accused the BJP of engineering the resignations of the MLCs – who later switched to the saffron party – to facilitate the entry of Adityanath and his cabinet colleagues into the council without sacrificing any lawmakers in the Vidhan Sabha.

The desperation of the BJP and Adityanath in avoiding a direct (MLA) election to enter the Vidhan Sabha can be gauged from the fact that the UP chief minister had recently written to the Election Commission urging it to hold by poll for the seat vacated by Thakur Jaiveer Singh at the same time as the election for the other four seats.

Jaiveer Singh’s tenure as MLC was scheduled to end on May 5, 2018. Though six MLC seats were vacant, the EC had announced by poll only for four seats as terms for the remaining two seats was to end in less than one year and the poll panel usually avoids holding by-election to seats that are set to open up for election within such a short period.

However, on Tuesday, the EC – obliging Adityanath’s request – announced elections for the seat vacated by Jaiveer Singh.

Adityanath, his 2 deputies and ministers to enter UP Assembly as MLCs, not MLAs

The ECI is not holding by poll for the sixth seat vacated by SP member Ambika Chaudhary, who had later joined the BSP.

While nominations to four Vidhan Parishad seats began on Tuesday, the nomination procedure for the fifth seat – vacated by Jaiveer Singh – will now begin onAugust 31 and end on September 7. The last date of withdrawals is September 11. Voting, if necessary, will take place on September 15 and counting of votes will be done on the same day. Adityanath and his four cabinet colleagues have to be elected to either house of the UP Assembly by September 19.

Although the five leaders will now not be required to contest direct polls to enter the UP Vidhan Sabha, their entry into the Vidhan Parishad will force a by-election to the Gorakhpur and Phulpur Lok Sabha seats represented by Adityanath and Keshav Prasad Maurya respectively. Adityanath and Maurya will be required to resign from their Lok Sabha seats within 15 days of their election as MLCs.

Yogi’s decision to enter the UP Assembly as an MLC has surprised many as the BJP top brass had maintained that the controversial priest-politician will contest the assembly by poll after asking one of the sitting BJP MLAs to resign. Several BJP MLAs had even offered to resign from their seats in order to allow Adityanath to contest a by poll.

Sources say with a strong presence in both houses of the UP Assembly, the BJP can easily pass laws and take decisions without Opposition veto.

Like the Rajya Sabha, members of the Vidhan Parishad are elected for six years by legislators and others. Many would say this saves candidate the grind of facing the electorate directly through campaigning, public rallies and voting.

Yogi Adityanath’s predecessors Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati were also Members of the Legislative Council as were former UP chief ministers Vishwanath Pratap Singh, Narayan Dutt Tiwari and Ram Prakash Gupta.

Members of the Vidhan Parishad cannot participate in a vote of confidence or suggest money bills, unlike their counterparts in the Vidhan Sabha.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Asish Banerjee found dead in Rampurhat, Mamata Banerjee aide’s death shocks TMC

Former West Bengal deputy speaker and five-time Rampurhat MLA Asish Banerjee was found dead at a Trinamool Congress office in Birbhum.

Published

11 hours ago

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August 16, 2026

By

Mamata Banerjee

Former West Bengal Assembly deputy speaker and Trinamool Congress leader Asish Banerjee was found dead at a party office next to his residence in Rampurhat, Birbhum district, on Sunday morning.

Police said his body was found hanging and was sent for postmortem. A large crowd gathered outside the Trinamool Congress office after news of his death spread.

Who was Asish Banerjee?

Asish Banerjee had served as the deputy speaker of the West Bengal Assembly when Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee was the state’s chief minister. He was also a five-time MLA from Rampurhat.

He had served as Bengal’s education and agriculture minister after Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress first came to power in the state.

Banerjee contested the West Bengal Assembly election earlier this year but lost the Rampurhat seat to BJP’s Dhruba Saha.

Asish Banerjee’s recent party role

Banerjee stepped down as chairman of the Trinamool Congress’s Birbhum district core committee in June. At the time, he said he would continue as a general member of the party.

He lived in the Hattalapara neighbourhood of Rampurhat, with the party office where his body was found located next to his house.

BJP gains in Birbhum

The BJP won six of the 11 Assembly constituencies in Birbhum in the latest state election. This marked a significant change from 2021, when the Trinamool Congress had won 10 seats in the district while the BJP had secured one.

Police have sent Asish Banerjee’s body for postmortem as the circumstances surrounding his death are being investigated.

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IPS Officer Nupur Prasad gets Medal for Meritorious Service after Sushant Singh Rajput probe

IPS officer Nupur Prasad, who led the CBI investigation into Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, has been selected for the Medal for Meritorious Service this year.

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1 day ago

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August 15, 2026

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IPS officer Nupur Prasad, who led the CBI investigation into actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, has been recognised with the Medal for Meritorious Service (MSM) this year.

A 2007-batch AGMUT cadre officer, Ms Prasad recently returned to the Delhi Police after completing her tenure with the CBI. She is currently serving as Joint Commissioner of Police in the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), where she oversees investigations involving financial and economic crimes.

The award is part of this year’s recognition for police personnel for distinguished and meritorious service. Such honours recognise contributions in areas including investigation, crime prevention, public service, law and order and administration.

Nupur Prasad’s role in Sushant Singh Rajput case

Ms Prasad came into national focus during the CBI investigation into the death of Sushant Singh Rajput, who was found dead at his Mumbai residence on June 14, 2020.

The case was transferred to the CBI in August 2020 following a complaint by the actor’s family and a legal dispute over jurisdiction.

During her tenure with the agency, Ms Prasad supervised key aspects of the investigation, including the examination of witness statements, forensic evidence and medical records.

In 2025, the CBI filed closure reports, saying its investigation found no evidence of foul play, abetment to suicide or criminal conspiracy in the actor’s death.

Career across Delhi Police, CBI

Ms Prasad has served in several positions during her career, including assignments in the Delhi Police, CBI, Arunachal Pradesh and West Bengal.

Before joining the CBI, she held senior positions in the Delhi Police and became the first Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) of Shahdara. During her tenure, she worked on establishing the district’s policing framework following its creation.

She also led operations targeting drug networks and illegal gambling activities while focusing on crime-prevention measures.

Later, as DCP of North Delhi, she oversaw security arrangements for major events, including Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort and Delhi University elections.

Community-focused policing initiatives

Beyond investigations, Ms Prasad has been associated with community-focused programmes involving women’s self-defence, youth development, cyber safety and drug de-addiction.

During her CBI tenure, she was also associated with several prominent investigations. Media reports have linked her to cases concerning businessman Vijay Mallya and the AgustaWestland helicopter deal.

Current role in Delhi Police

After completing her assignment with the CBI, Ms Prasad returned to the Delhi Police and took charge as Joint Commissioner of Police in the Economic Offences Wing.

The latest recognition adds to her career spanning investigations, policing and public service across several challenging assignments.

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Kharge, Rahul Gandhi skip Independence Day event for 2nd straight year

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi skipped the 80th Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort for the second consecutive year.

Published

1 day ago

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August 15, 2026

By

Rahul Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi skipped the 80th Independence Day celebrations at Delhi’s Red Fort for the second consecutive year.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the Independence Day celebrations at the historic venue on Saturday.

The absence of the two senior Congress leaders comes amid strained relations between the ruling party and the Opposition, which further deteriorated during the Monsoon Session of Parliament that concluded on Thursday.

2024 seating controversy

Rahul Gandhi had attended the Independence Day celebrations in 2024 but his seating arrangement triggered a controversy. The Congress leader, who holds the status of a Cabinet minister as Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, was seated in the second-last row during the ceremony at the Red Fort.

The Opposition had criticised the seating arrangement, calling it an insult to the people. The Defence Ministry, which organised the event, said the arrangement had been modified to accommodate Olympians at the venue.

According to protocol, the Leader of the Opposition is seated in the front row during ceremonial events.

Opposition-ruling party tensions

Relations between the government and the Opposition remained tense during the Monsoon Session, which ended on Thursday.

The session saw repeated clashes between the two sides, with both the Opposition and the ruling party blaming each other for the low productivity of Parliament.

The session began on July 20, with students marching towards Parliament on the first day. Twelve bills were passed during the session, while detailed discussion took place on only one legislation, concerning paper leaks.

The Congress, along with the Trinamool Congress and Samajwadi Party, also boycotted the customary tea party hosted by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla after the House was adjourned sine die.

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