Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday extended birthday greetings to Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on the occasion of his 56th birthday.

In a post on X, PM Modi conveyed his wishes for Rahul Gandhi’s well-being and longevity. He described the Congress MP as the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and prayed for his good health and a long life.

Rahul Gandhi, one of the senior-most leaders of the Congress party, celebrated his 56th birthday on June 19. He currently serves as the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha.

The Prime Minister’s message was noted as a gesture of courtesy between leaders from rival political parties, who frequently engage in sharp political debates on national issues.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah held talks with US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor in New Delhi on Thursday, with both sides discussing ways to strengthen cooperation on security-related issues, including counter-terrorism, counter-narcotics efforts and border security. The meeting came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump met on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in France.

According to statements shared by both leaders after the meeting, discussions focused on enhancing collaboration to combat terrorism, curb narcotics trafficking, strengthen border management and improve efforts to bring criminals to justice in both countries.

Shah said the two sides had a detailed discussion on expanding India-US cooperation in the security domain, particularly in counter-terrorism and counter-narcotics initiatives. He also reiterated India’s commitment to advancing the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi.

Meeting follows high-level engagement at G7 summit

The interaction took place shortly after the Modi-Trump bilateral meeting during the G7 Summit in France, where the leaders discussed trade, regional security, economic cooperation and other strategic issues. They also reviewed progress in various areas of bilateral cooperation.

Following his return from France, Gor described the Modi-Trump engagement as productive and highlighted positive outcomes for India-US relations. He said the two leaders held substantive discussions on trade, regional security and strengthening economic ties.

The latest meeting between Shah and Gor underscores continued high-level engagement between New Delhi and Washington on security and strategic matters as both countries seek to deepen cooperation across multiple sectors.

BJP-backed independent candidate Parimal Nathwani secured a Rajya Sabha seat from Jharkhand on Thursday, with reports indicating that cross-voting played a key role in the closely watched election. The second seat was won by Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) candidate Baidyanath Ram.

The election witnessed a three-cornered contest for two Rajya Sabha seats. Alongside Nathwani and Baidyanath Ram, Congress candidate Pranav Jha was also in the fray. Political observers had been closely tracking the possibility of cross-voting in the state, given the numerical strength of various parties in the Jharkhand Assembly.

Cross-voting speculation dominated the contest

Ahead of voting, both the ruling INDIA bloc and the NDA had taken measures to keep their legislators together amid concerns over possible defections and cross-voting. Political discussions in the state largely revolved around whether legislators would vote along party lines or support candidates outside their alliances.

Nathwani’s victory is being linked to support from legislators beyond the NDA’s expected vote base. Reports after the counting suggested that cross-voting may have influenced the final outcome, helping the BJP-backed candidate secure the required support.

The result comes as another example of cross-voting influencing Rajya Sabha elections, a trend that has been discussed in several states during recent Upper House contests.

Congress candidate misses out

While JMM’s Baidyanath Ram and BJP-backed Parimal Nathwani emerged victorious, Congress nominee Pranav Jha failed to secure one of the two available seats. The outcome is likely to trigger political debate over voting patterns within the state assembly and the extent of cross-voting during the election.