SC directs Guv
Speaking at the manifesto launch in Kolkata, TMC Rajya Sabha leader Derek O’Brien, former state Finance minister Amit Mitra and current Finance minister Chandrima Bhattacharya emphasised their commitment to fulfilling these promises once the INDIA bloc secures governance.
TMC has made a major announcement saying that prices of petrol, diesel, and LPG cylinders will be capped at affordable levels. ₹Price Stabilization Fund’ will be created to handle price fluctuations, Mitra added.
The manifesto outlines a series of social welfare initiatives, including the implementation of an upgraded Swasthya Sathi scheme in the national level up to Rs 10 lakh medical insurance cover. The Mamata Banerjeeled Trinamool Congress said that 100 days of guaranteed work will be ensured to all job card holders and all workers will receive an increased minimum wage of Rs 400 per day, nationally.
TMC also pledged to repeal the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) if the INDIA bloc assumes power at the Centre.
The manifesto also promises that the number of higher education scholarships for SCs, STs and OBCs students will be increased. The manifesto said that all BPL families will be provided 10 LPG cylinders, free-of-cost, every year to enable them adequate access to clean cooking fuel, thereby promoting environmentally friendly practices.
Around 5 kgs of free ration (rice, wheat, grains) will be provided to every ration card holder, every month. The ration will be delivered free of cost to the doorstep of every beneficiary. The existing Old Age Pension for elderly people above 60 years will be hiked to Rs 12,000 annually.
Mitra also added that as per the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission, MSP will be legally guaranteed to
India’s farmers, set at least 50 per cent higher than the average cost of production of all crops.
TMC promised that CAA will be abolished and NRC will be discontinued. Uniform Civil Code (UCC) will not be implemented across India. Scholarships will be introduced at the national level for female students in line with ₹Kanyashree’ and financial aid for all women akin to ₹Lakshmir Bhandar’. Number of higher education scholarships for SCs, STs and OBCs students will be increased. The current old age pension for individuals aged 60
and above will be increased to Rs 1,000 per month.
Trinamool Congress in a post on X said: “We are delighted to present our Manifesto for the
Lok Sabha Elections, 2024! With #DidirShopoth, we pledge to uplift every Indian with guaranteed employment, universal housing, free LPG cylinders, assured MSP for farmers, scholarships for SC, ST, OBC students and much more. Together, let’s overthrow the BJP Zamindars and pave the way for a dignified life for all!”
The manifesto also highlighted how the BJP-led government at the Centre made false promises and how it infringed on the fundamental rights of people. “It has also destroyed the federal structure of the country,” it stated.
his capacity as the chancellor of the institutions.
Earlier, the Court had urged the Attorney General to use his “good offices” to resolve the deadlock between the Governor and the government. The Court had also expressed its reservations regarding the continuation of interim vice-chancellors.
In October 2023, the Court stayed the disbursement of financial perks to the interim V-Cs appointed by the Governor while the matter was pending before the Supreme Court. The Court also restrained the appointment of adhoc or acting V-Cs.
Efforts to break the deadlock led the court to constitute a search-cum-selection committee for appointing vice-chancellors. However, the court faced challenges in forming the committee as neither the Governor nor the University Grants Commission (UGC) responded with nominees, as alleged by the state government. The court sought five names each from the UGC, the Bengal government and the Governor to determine the committee’s composition.
During a subsequent hearing, the court also called upon intervenors to propose names of renowned scientists, technocrats, administrators, educationists and other eminent individuals.
According to news reports, the state had recommended names for Jadavpur University, Darjeeling Hill University, Gour Banga University, Rani Rashmoni Green University, Harichand Guruchand University and Sadhu Ram Chand Murmu University.
State Higher Education minister Bratya Basu on his X feed shared: “Six to start with! Definitely will end thirty one! Hopefully the Hon’ble Supreme Court will instil some good sense in Raj Bhawan!”
A closely watched contest is unfolding in Tamil Nadu’s Nilgiris Lok Sabha constituency, where incumbent DMK MP A Raja is up against BJP’s L Murugan, the Union Minister of State for Fisheries.
Karti Chidambaram, the Sivaganga MP, seeks re-election in a seat historically won by his father, facing BJP’s T Devanathan Yadav and AIADMK’s Xavier Dass.
In Coimbatore, Tamil
Nadu BJP president K Annamalai is competing against DMK’s Ganapathy P Rajkumar and AIADMK’s Singai Ramachandran.
Tamilisai Soundararajan, who stepped down as governor of Telangana and Lt Governor of Puducherry, is running for the Chennai South Lok Sabha constituency. She previously contested against DMK’s Kanimozhi in Thoothukudi in 2019.
Kanimozhi herself is campaigning for re-election, with NDA ally Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar) nominating SDR Vijayaseelan and AIADMK selecting R Sivasami Velumani as their candidates.
Nakul Nath, son of former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath, is seeking to retain his seat in Chhindwara, a stronghold for his family.
In Tripura, the West Tripura constituency is set for an intense battle between former chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb and state Congress president Ashish Kumar Saha.
Gaurav Gogoi, Congress’ deputy leader in Lok Sabha and son of former chief minister Tarun Gogoi, is contesting from Jorhat in Assam, following a delimitation exercise that affected his previous constituency, Kaliabor.
Basanta Kumar Singh, Manipur’s Law and Education Minister, is the BJP candidate for the Inner Manipur constituency, facing Congress’ Bimal Akoijam.
Churu, a BJP stronghold in northern Rajasthan, is preparing for a notable contest between BJP’s Devendra Jhajharia, a celebrated Paralympic gold medallist, and Congress’ Rahul Kaswan, a recent defector from the BJP.
Meanwhile, campaigning activities ended on Wednesday for the first phase of Lok Sabha elections. The closing hours saw intensified efforts by the NDA, spearheaded by the BJP, and the Opposition’s INDIA bloc to sway the electorate.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the campaign’s final stretch with extensive tours, rallying support with promises of hope, trust, and guarantees reflective of his terms in 2014, 2019, and the current year. Modi’s narrative emphasised a nationwide commitment to fulfilling these guarantees.
Top BJP figures, including Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, alongside Congress leaders Mallikarjun
Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, vigorously campaigned for their party candidates.
The BJP’s campaign rhetoric targeted the INDIA bloc, accusing them of corruption, nepotism, and disrespect towards the Constitution and Hinduism. Conversely, the Opposition criticised the ruling party for issues such as electoral bonds, alleged agency misuse, inflation, and unemployment.
The 2019 elections saw the UPA secure 45 seats and the NDA 41 out of the 102 contested, with six seats recently redefined through delimitation.
Voting will occur in all seats of Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Mizoram, Nagaland, Puducherry, Sikkim, and Lakshadweep. Additional polling will take place in select seats of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Maharashtra, Bihar,
West Bengal, Manipur, Tripura, Jammu and Kashmir, and Chhattisgarh.
Election authorities have mandated the absence of nonlocal individuals and barred all campaigning activities within these constituencies 48 hours prior to polling.
The first phase will also see voting in Chhattisgarh’s Naxalaffected Bastar, following a significant counter-insurgency operation.
The subsequent phase, involving 89 seats across 13 states and Union territories, is slated for April 26.
The seven-phase polling process will ultimately fill the 543 seats of the 18th Lok Sabha, with the final count scheduled for
June 4.
that the idol was adorned with a sustainably crafted crown of precious gemstones for the occasion.
The remarkable feat of engineering that facilitated the
“Surya Tilak” was the result of a 19-year collaboration between CSIR-CBRI, Roorkee, and the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore. The team devised a method to direct sunlight from the temple’s third floor to the ₹garbha griha’.
CBRI developed the intricate design to harness the sunlight, with IIA providing optical design consultancy. The system underwent testing the day before the event.
Dr. S K Panigrahi, a scientist involved in the project, stated that the primary goal was to ensure the ₹Tilak’ would grace the forehead of the Shri Ram idol every Ram Navami. The project promises to bring sunlight to the idol’s forehead annually at noon on this significant day.
in the Uttar Pradesh Lok Sabha elections, with the Congress contesting 17 seats and the SP and other allies contesting the remaining 63. The first phase of the elections will include eight constituencies and is scheduled for April 19, with the seven-phase elections commencing shortly thereafter and vote counting set for June 4.