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Opposition deciding on common candidate for RS Dy Chairman’s post to defeat BJP

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8 years ago

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Opposition deciding on common candidate for RS Dy Chairman’s post to defeat BJP

It would be another occasion for Opposition to come together when they finalise a consensus candidate for elections to the post of deputy chairman of the Rajya Sabha.

Sources present at a meeting called by the Congress on Monday said that a joint candidate will be announced and backed by all parties, reported News18. Leaders from the Congress and various other parties met in the office of the Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad in Parliament House.

Opposition parties asked the Congress, the TMC and the Samajwadi Party to come out with a suitable candidate acceptable to all, reported NDTV. Those present at the meeting included leaders from the Congress, NCP, TMC, BSP, SP, RJD, DMK, CPI(M), CPI, JD(S), RSP, IUML and KC-M, among others, said the NDTV report.

The entire opposition agreed that there should be a consensus candidate and the same should have acceptance among all parties and not just from any one party.

The name of the candidate would be finalized after the notification for the elections is released, said media reports.

Election to the post of deputy chairman is being seen as a key test for opposition parties led by Congress, as they look to retain the post. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which is in minority in the upper house, is also keen that a candidate of its choice wins the election. The term of deputy chairman PJ Kurien ended on July 1.

The opposition parties also formulated a joint strategy to corner the government on various issues during the Monsoon Session of Parliament starting tomorrow (Wednesday, July 18).

The BJP has emerged as the single largest party in the Rajya Sabha house but is short of a clear majority and lacks numbers to get its deputy chairman.

The Congress, on the other hand, is attempting to forge a larger coalition to get the post for an opposition candidate. The party has even indicated its willingness to concede the seat to a regional party.

Among the names doing the rounds for the post include Trinamool Congress leader Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, according to News18 which said the post may go to the NCP also.

A report by NDTV said TMC leader Sukhendu Sekhar Roy made it clear at the meeting that his party will not field any candidate for the post and will support any joint opposition candidate decided through consensus.

The names of the candidates have not been formally discussed and it was the first time that the issue was taken up during the meeting.

The sources, however, said that the ruling NDA is keen on fielding its candidate and is seeking the support of some parties like the BJD and the AIADMK. The name of Akali Dal leader Naresh Gujral is doing the rounds for the post from the ruling coalition.

Though the post of deputy chairman of Rajya Sabha goes to the opposition, the tradition has not been followed for some time now as both the previous deputy chairmen PJ Kurien and K Rehman Khan were from the then ruling party at the time of their election.

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West Bengal Governor dissolves Assembly amid political transition 

Governor R N Ravi dissolved the West Bengal Assembly after the 2026 poll results, with the BJP securing a majority in the state elections.

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57 mins ago

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May 7, 2026

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The West Bengal Legislative Assembly was dissolved following the conclusion of the 2026 Assembly elections, in which the Bharatiya Janata Party secured a clear majority in the state.

Governor R N Ravi issued the order dissolving the Assembly as the state prepared for the transition of power after the election results. According to reports, the BJP won 207 seats in the 294-member Assembly, while the Trinamool Congress secured 80 seats.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee questioned the election outcome and alleged irregularities in the poll process, claiming the mandate had been “looted”.

The dissolution came as the tenure of the existing Assembly ended on May 7, 2026. The development has sparked political discussions over the formation of the next government in the state.

Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee held a meeting with newly elected Trinamool Congress MLAs in Kolkata and reportedly raised concerns over internal sabotage during the elections.

The BJP is expected to begin the formal process of government formation in West Bengal after its decisive victory in the Assembly polls.

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Eknath Shinde’s helicopter returns to Mumbai mid-flight due to bad weather

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s helicopter was forced to return to Mumbai after the pilot detected approaching storm conditions during a flight to Thane district.

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1 hour ago

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May 7, 2026

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Eknath_shinde (1)

A helicopter carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde was forced to return to Mumbai on Thursday after encountering adverse weather conditions during a flight to Thane district.

According to officials, Shinde had departed from Mahalaxmi Racecourse in south Mumbai around 3.30 pm and was travelling to Murbad in Thane district to attend a wedding function related to a party worker’s family.

The helicopter reportedly reached the Airoli area in Navi Mumbai when the pilot noticed an approaching storm and informed the deputy chief minister about the deteriorating weather conditions. Following the alert, the flight was turned back as a precautionary measure.

The helicopter later landed safely at the Pawan Hans facility in Juhu, Mumbai. Officials said Shinde was accompanied by members of his staff, including personal assistant Prabhakar Kale, special executive officer Balsingh Rajput and media adviser Vinay Patrdukar.

The incident comes amid changing weather conditions and storm activity reported in parts of Maharashtra in recent days.

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Nitish Kumar’s son Nishant among 32 inducted in Bihar cabinet expansion

Nishant Kumar entered the Bihar cabinet for the first time as 32 ministers from NDA allies took oath in a major expansion of the state government.

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5 hours ago

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May 7, 2026

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Bihar government cabinet

A major cabinet expansion took place in Bihar on Thursday, with 32 leaders from the ruling NDA alliance inducted into the state government. Among the prominent names was Nishant Kumar, son of former Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, who entered the cabinet for the first time.

The expansion included representatives from all major NDA allies in the state. According to reports, the BJP secured 15 ministerial berths, while JD(U) got 13 positions. Two ministers were inducted from Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), while Hindustani Awam Morcha and Rashtriya Lok Morcha received one berth each.

The oath-taking ceremony was held in Patna in the presence of senior NDA leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

Nishant Kumar’s induction comes weeks after he formally entered active politics. His entry into the Bihar cabinet is being viewed as a significant development for JD(U), which had long projected an anti-dynasty image under Nitish Kumar’s leadership.

The cabinet reshuffle follows Nitish Kumar’s move to the Rajya Sabha earlier this year and the formation of the government led by Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary.

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