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Rajasthan BJP MLA Ghanshyam Tiwari quits, says will fight corruption, undeclared Emergency

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8 years ago

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Senior BJP MLA Ghanshyam Tiwari quits, says will fight corruption, undeclared Emergency

Six-term MLA Ghanshyam Tiwari of Rajasthan BJP has quit the party alleging rampant corruption under chief minister Vasundhara Raje and an undeclared Emergency in the country and in Rajasthan.

The allegations for the move hurt BJP where it hurts most, coming at a time when the BJP top brass chose to pull out the issue of Emergency without any apparent reason or occasion – this is the 43rd year, not 10, 25, or even 40 years – to observe it as a ‘Black Day’ and attack the Congress.

A former minister, Tiwari said that he has submitted his resignation to party chief Amit Shah and accused him of not reining in corruption by CM Raje.

Tiwari’s move was anticipated. A rebel MLA sidelined for four years, he had announced two days earlier that he will field candidates on all 200 Assembly seats of the state under the banner of Bharat Vahini Party, whose founder president is his son Akhilesh Tiwari, said media reports. BVP was registered by the Election Commission of India on June 13.

Addressing a press conference later on Monday, Tiwari said the country was going through a phase of “undeclared emergency” for the last four years and he was ready to fight against it. “Undeclared emergency is more dangerous than actual emergency,” he told reporters, according to PTI. “I have witnessed both the phases and I am tendering my resignation from the party [BJP] to fight against it.”

Tiwari talked about Emergency days, recalling that he “went to jail, was beaten up, and operated while underground.” But, he said “the undeclared Emergency at present in the nation and state is more dangerous than declared Emergency.” He said he was immensely hurt at having to leave the party after being associated with the Sangh for decades.  Tiwari has been with the party since its Jansangh days.

In his four-page resignation letter, he alleged that both the state and central leadership have kneeled down before Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje.

“I fought in 1975 against the declared emergency. Now, I will fight against undeclared emergency. There is an undeclared emergency in the country and the state. I am ready to fight for the protection of public and safeguarding their independence,” wrote Tiwari in his resignation letter.

While addressing Shah, the senior leader pointed out that his repeated complaints over the last four years on corruption and misrule in Rajasthan did not find an audience.

“I even attempted to tell that an individual has taken control of BJP in the state. But you did nothing. Instead, you tried to harass and defame the loyal workers of the party. It is now clear that first you agreed to side with corruption in Rajasthan and now, you have kneeled before it,” Tiwari wrote to Shah.

In his letter to BJP President Amit Shah, Tiwari wrote, “The present state government, in connivance with some leaders in Centre, has been looting the state. Under the leadership of the chief of the state government, a coterie of some ministers and officers has only one aim: to pick the pockets of the citizens and rob the state’s resources.”

Without naming Raje, he wrote, “New methods of corruption are being invented on a daily basis under the chief of BJP government. Be it appointing her confederates on creamy postings, or extortion through political appointments.or possession of Rs 2,000 crore government residence in Civil Lines – for life – through a Bill.”

Further, he wrote, “…the power and dignity of all the major constitutional offices – Vidhan Sabha, Vidhan Sabha committees, Raj Bhawan, Rajasthan Public Services Commission, council of ministers etc. – have been put at stake for fulfilling personal aspirations. False cases are filed on dissenters and their families harassed. Situation is such that newspapers are openly suppressed economically and politically.”

Tiwari is the MLA from Jaipur’s Sanganer Assembly seat — his sixth term in the State Assembly. In 2013 Assembly elections, he had won with the highest margin in the state, defeating Congress rival by over 65,000 votes.

Tiwari is a known adversary of Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje in the state’s political circles. He had been at loggerheads with her on several occasions during her current stint as the state Chief Minister and in 2017, the BJP’s national disciplinary committee issued show-cause notices to Tiwari after he alleged that the state party unit had become a place for mafias and sycophants, PTI reported.

Tiwari said he will contest from the same constituency – Sanganer – in the upcoming Assembly elections in Rajasthan from his son’s newly-floated party Bharat Vahini Party. The polls are scheduled for later this year.

While Tiwari’s party is unlikely to win on his own but he can harm the BJPs prospects in the assembly election. He could influence some Brahmin votes, a caste that constitutes 12.5 per cent of the population.

The Vasundhara Raje government is already facing anti-incumbency and the BJP has faced series of defeats in recent bypolls. In the bypolls to five assembly and two Lok Sabha seats so far, the BJP lost three and two respectively to the Congress.

In bypolls for two Lok Sabha seats held earlier this year, the BJP lost in all the 17 assembly constituencies.

The party’s state unit is plagued with infighting and dissensions and the central leadership has failed to appoint a state president, a post which has been lying vacant for a considerable period of time.

Officially, the BJP put up a brave face. Party’s Rajasthan in-charge, Avinash Rai Khanna, was quoted by media reports as saying that “no person has been able to establish himself politically after parting ways with the BJP. His case was pending before the disciplinary committee and he took this step on his own.”

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BJP releases first list of 47 candidates for Kerala assembly polls

The BJP has released its first list of 47 candidates for the Kerala Assembly elections scheduled for April 9, including three former Union ministers.

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4 hours ago

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March 16, 2026

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BJP releases list of candidates

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday released its first list of 47 candidates for the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections scheduled for April 9.

Voting will take place for all 140 seats in the state assembly, with counting of votes scheduled for May 4. A party or coalition needs at least 70 seats to secure a majority in the House.

Among the candidates announced in the first list are three former Union ministers — Rajeev Chandrasekhar, V. Muraleedharan and George Kurian.

Key candidates announced

Kerala BJP chief and former Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar has been fielded from the Nemom assembly constituency. In the 2024 Lok Sabha election, Chandrasekhar lost the Thiruvananthapuram seat to three-time MP Shashi Tharoor, but he led in the Nemom assembly segment during that contest. The party believes this performance strengthens its prospects in the constituency.

Nemom has held political significance for the BJP since 2016, when senior leader O. Rajagopal won the seat and became the party’s first-ever MLA in the 140-member Kerala Legislative Assembly. The victory marked the BJP’s initial breakthrough in the state assembly.

However, the seat returned to the Left camp in the 2021 Assembly election when V. Sivankutty defeated BJP leader Kummanam Rajasekharan.

Former Union minister V. Muraleedharan will contest from the Kazhakoottam constituency, while George Kurian has been nominated from Kanjirappally.

Other candidates in the list

According to the list released by the party, several other candidates have also been announced for key constituencies. P. C. George will contest from Poonjar, R. Sreelekha from Vattiyoorkavu and Padmaja Venugopal from Thrissur.

The BJP has also nominated Sobha Surendran from Palakkad, Navya Haridas from Kozhikode North and Kavitha K. S. from Sulthanbathery, a reserved constituency.

Raji Prasad will contest from the Kunnathur seat reserved for Scheduled Castes, while R. Rashmi has been fielded from Kottarakkara.

Political backdrop in Kerala

Kerala’s electoral politics has traditionally alternated between the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF). However, the BJP has been attempting to expand its presence in the state.

The alternating trend was interrupted in the 2021 Assembly election when the electorate returned the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government to power for a second consecutive term.

The BJP believes recent electoral performances and local body successes have strengthened its position as it prepares to contest the upcoming assembly polls.

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Fire in ICU at SCB medical college hospital in Cuttack kills 10 patients

Ten patients died after a fire broke out in the trauma ICU at SCB medical college hospital in Cuttack early Monday morning. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced compensation and ordered a judicial probe.

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14 hours ago

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March 16, 2026

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A major fire at the trauma care intensive care unit (ICU) of SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, Odisha, early Monday morning left ten patients dead and several hospital staff members injured.

According to officials, the fire broke out between 2:30 am and 3:00 am in the trauma ICU where critically ill patients were undergoing treatment. Emergency teams rushed to the scene soon after the incident, and multiple fire engines were deployed to control the blaze and assist in rescue operations.

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said hospital staff were injured while evacuating patients from the affected ward during the emergency.

Patients shifted as rescue operations continued

Following the fire, 23 patients were moved to other departments and wards within the hospital to ensure their safety and continued medical care.

Speaking to reporters, the Chief Minister said seven critically ill patients died while being shifted to other ICUs and wards, while three more succumbed later.

“A total of 23 patients have been shifted to other departments. Seven serious patients died while shifting to other ICUs and wards, while another three patients died later. I have directed the concerned officers for proper treatment of the injured patients,” Majhi said.

Chief minister visits hospital, announces compensation

Soon after the incident, Majhi visited the hospital along with Odisha Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling to review the situation. They also met patients who were undergoing treatment at the facility.

The Chief Minister announced financial assistance of ₹25 lakh for the families of each deceased patient.

He also ordered a judicial probe into the incident to determine the cause of the fire and examine safety measures at the hospital.

Authorities continue to monitor the condition of injured staff members and patients who were shifted from the ICU.

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Arvind Kejriwal moves Supreme Court against Delhi High Court order in excise policy case

Arvind Kejriwal has approached the Supreme Court challenging a Delhi High Court order related to proceedings in the excise policy case and alleging violation of his fundamental rights.

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14 hours ago

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March 16, 2026

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Arvind Kejriwal

Aam Aadmi Party chief and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has approached the Supreme Court of India challenging certain proceedings in the Delhi excise policy case and alleging a violation of his fundamental rights.

In a petition filed under Article 32 of the Constitution, Kejriwal has questioned a decision of the Delhi High Court that put a freeze on remarks related to the investigation conducted by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

The petition also challenges an order of the High Court Chief Justice rejecting Kejriwal’s request to transfer the case to another bench.

Plea seeks change of bench

Earlier, on March 11, Kejriwal and several others submitted a representation to Delhi High Court Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya seeking reassignment of the case to what they described as an “impartial” judge.

In the representation, Kejriwal stated that he had a “grave, bona fide and reasonable apprehension” that the matter may not receive an impartial hearing before the current bench.

However, the Chief Justice declined the request and said the petition had been assigned as per the existing roster.

According to the communication sent by the High Court’s Registrar General on March 13 to eight individuals including Kejriwal, the Chief Justice noted that any decision on recusal must be taken by the judge hearing the matter and that there was no reason to transfer the petition administratively.

Order on trial court proceedings also challenged

Kejriwal has also challenged a March 9 order passed by Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma of the Delhi High Court.

In that order, Justice Sharma had stayed a trial court direction that called for an investigation into a CBI officer who handled the excise policy case. The High Court had also asked the trial court to defer proceedings connected to the anti-money laundering aspect of the case.

Justice Sharma had further rejected certain observations made by the trial court while discharging Kejriwal and 22 others, stating that some of those remarks were erroneous.

Hearing expected on CBI plea

Meanwhile, Justice Sharma is scheduled to hear a petition filed by the CBI challenging the discharge of Kejriwal, former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and others in the excise policy case.

The matter remains under judicial consideration as the legal challenge now moves to the Supreme Court.

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