Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has entered the ongoing political debate triggered by senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh’s recent social media post, using the moment to underline Sonia Gandhi’s role in promoting merit-based leadership within the party.

Without directly naming Digvijaya Singh, Reddy, considered close to the Gandhi family, posted a message on X late Sunday night praising Sonia Gandhi’s leadership decisions that led to PV Narasimha Rao and Dr Manmohan Singh becoming prime ministers. His remarks were widely seen as a counter to the narrative that questioned the Congress party’s internal organisational culture.

Reddy said that under Sonia Gandhi’s leadership, individuals from diverse backgrounds were elevated to the highest constitutional positions based on capability and commitment. He referred to PV Narasimha Rao’s journey from a remote village in Telangana to the prime minister’s office, and the appointment of economist Dr Manmohan Singh as prime minister, as examples of the party rewarding merit.

He further stated that the Congress has played a central role in shaping modern India, from the freedom movement to the building of democratic institutions, and in holding together a diverse nation.

Background of the Digvijaya Singh post row

The controversy began after Digvijaya Singh shared an old photograph of Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the 1990s and praised the organisational strength of the BJP and its ideological mentor, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. In his post, Singh described the rise of grassroots workers within that organisation as “impressive” and called it an example of the “power of organisation”.

The post, which tagged senior Congress leaders, triggered sharp reactions within the party. Singh later clarified that his comments were limited to organisational structure and not an endorsement of ideology.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge reiterated that the party has never sought votes in the name of religion, while party spokesperson Pawan Khera dismissed the remarks by drawing a sharp ideological line between Mahatma Gandhi and those associated with Nathuram Godse.

Political reactions and internal dynamics

The issue also drew reactions from the BJP, which accused the Congress leadership of being autocratic and questioned whether Rahul Gandhi would respond to Singh’s remarks. Meanwhile, Digvijaya Singh and Rahul Gandhi were seen together at a Congress Working Committee meeting in Delhi, where sources said the exchange was treated lightly.

Singh’s comments have also been linked to a broader discussion within the Congress about organisational reforms, echoed earlier by leaders such as Shashi Tharoor, who has spoken about the need for strengthening the party structure beyond the Gandhi family.

Sources indicated that Singh’s remarks may also be influenced by uncertainty over his future in the Rajya Sabha, with his term ending early next year.

The BJP and Shiv Sena have almost sealed their seat-sharing arrangement for the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, with an understanding reached on 200 of the total 227 wards in Mumbai, according to sources. The civic body polls are scheduled to be held on January 15.

The agreement was discussed during a late-night meeting of the Mahayuti alliance, which includes the BJP, Shiv Sena and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP. The meeting took place at Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s residence in Thane and focused on strategy for several key municipal corporations, including Thane, Kalyan-Dombivli and Navi Mumbai.

Sources said similar meetings are lined up for Mumbai and other civic bodies such as Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Panvel and Mira-Bhayandar, as alliance partners work to finalise ward-level arrangements and campaign planning.

Congress explores new alliances in Mumbai

In Mumbai, Congress leaders are scheduled to meet Prakash Ambedkar’s Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi as the party looks to rebuild its alliance structure after parting ways with the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction). The distancing followed Sena (UBT)’s decision to join hands with the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena led by Raj Thackeray.

Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut has confirmed that the party will contest the BMC elections in alliance with the MNS and the NCP led by Sharad Pawar. The inclusion of the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) comes after Sharad Pawar rejected a proposal from the Ajit Pawar-led faction that offered limited seat allocation.

Despite the split, sources indicated that discussions may continue, with meetings expected between Sharad Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule and her cousin Ajit Pawar to determine future political moves.

Local body strategies take shape across Maharashtra

Meanwhile, MNS chief Raj Thackeray is set to hold a meeting with party leaders at his Shivtirth residence to finalise the party’s election strategy, including campaign issues and candidate selection.

In Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Shiv Sena MLA and minister Sanjay Shirsat will meet BJP leaders, including state ministers Chandrakant Bawankule and Atul Save, to discuss preparations for the civic polls.

Seat-sharing talks are also underway in Mira-Bhayandar, where Shiv Sena leader Pratap Sarnaik and BJP MLA Narendra Mehta are expected to hold discussions. The Ajit Pawar-led NCP, however, is planning to contest the elections independently in the region.

Panvel is set to witness a major opposition meeting involving Sena (UBT), Congress, MNS, NCP (SP), Samajwadi Party and the VBA. The gathering, led by the Peasants and Workers Party, will focus on finalising seat-sharing arrangements and joint election strategies.

Delhi police carried out a large-scale preventive crackdown across sensitive pockets of the national capital ahead of New Year, arresting hundreds of accused and detaining over a thousand individuals to ensure peaceful celebrations.

The overnight operation, conducted under Operation Aaghat 3.0, focused on crime-prone areas and resulted in major seizures, including illegal weapons, narcotics, illicit liquor, cash and stolen property, according to police officials.

Major arrests and seizures during the drive

As part of the intensified security drive, at least 285 accused were arrested under various legal provisions, including the Arms Act, Excise Act, NDPS Act and Gambling Act. In addition, 504 people were detained as a precautionary measure to prevent any untoward incidents during the festive period.

Police officials said the operation led to the recovery of 21 illegal weapons, including country-made pistols, along with 20 live cartridges and 27 knives. Authorities also seized over 12,000 quarters of illicit liquor, around Rs 2.5 lakh in cash, and nearly 7 kg of cannabis from different locations.

Focus on habitual offenders and vehicle theft

The crackdown also targeted repeat offenders. Under the operation, 116 habitual offenders, referred to by police as “bad characters,” were taken into custody, while 10 property offenders were arrested.

To curb vehicle-related crimes during New Year celebrations, police dismantled auto-lifting networks and arrested five auto-lifters. During the raids, 231 two-wheelers and one four-wheeler were seized.

Action against gambling and stolen goods

In a parallel action against gambling activities, police recovered Rs 2.3 lakh in cash. The operation also led to the recovery of about 210 stolen or lost mobile phones, offering relief to several complainants.

Apart from arrests and detentions, a total of 1,306 individuals were rounded up under preventive measures, officials added, stating that the coordinated effort was aimed at maintaining law and order and ensuring a crime-free New Year in the capital.