India Political Highlights: BJP welcomes Channagiri MLA Madal Virupakshappa after he was granted interim bail by K'taka HC

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Have not done any illegal transaction as president of KSDL: BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa

I have not done any illegal transaction as president of KSDL. We kept the money from our groundnut plantation and crusher at home. This money was discovered during the Lokayukta raid. I have a document for that money and I will give it: BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa

Conrad Sangma: Meghalaya's 'Chanakya'

Conrad K Sangma, who was sworn-in on Tuesday for a second term as the chief minister of Meghalaya, has come a long way, emerging from theshadows of his better-known father Purno Agitok Sangma, as a consummate politician in his own right. Sometime before elections were announced, Conrad realised two things -- firstly the powerful Congress which had bested him in the last elections,had been reduced to a rump by the unexpected defection of former CM Mukul Sangma.

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Will come out clean, join BJP: MLA Virupakshappa

Channagiri MLA Madal Virupakshappa stated that he would accept the Central leaders decision to expel him from the party.Speaking to media persons, here on Tuesday, he said he was not absconding after Lokayukta police initiated search operations. But he was in the house. The party has done the right thing.

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Uttar Pradesh government bulldozes houses of alleged aides of Mukhtar Ansari in Banda district

Authorities in Banda district of Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday bulldozed two houses belonging to alleged aides of gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, saying they were constructed illegally.

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Tripura: Union Home minister Amit Shah and BJP national president JP Nadda arrive in Agartala for the swearing-in ceremony of BJP govt in the state

Some four BJP leaders have joined, it's an unfortunate state where Dravidian politicians who think that they run big parties want to poach from BJP and grow their party. That only shows that BJP is growing: Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai

Channagiri MLA Madal Virupakshappa was welcomed by BJP workers as he was granted interim anticipatory bail by Karnataka HC

Rajnath Singh spoke with Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot on the matter of misbehaviour with widows of soldiers who lost their lives in Pulwama attack. CM Gehlot assured of action in the matter

Our clear conviction Rahul in grip of 'Maoist' thought process, anarchist elements: BJP

The BJP on Tuesday lashed out at Rahul Gandhi for his criticism of the state of democracy in India and the RSS from Britain, claiming it is its clear conviction that he is completely in the grip of "Maoist thought process through his minions" and also "anarchist elements".

Addressing a press conference, former Union minister and BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad also expressed his party's disapproval of Gandhi "misusing the forum of British parliament" to spread shameful lies and unfounded claims, and said there needed to be a "proper rebuttal".

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Congress will win over 140 seats, says D K Shivakumar ahead of Karnataka polls

Karnataka Congress president D K Shivakumar on Tuesday claimed that his party would win 140 seats in the upcoming Assembly election according to an internal survey. Shivakumar was speaking after inducting former lawmakers GN Nanjundaswamy (Kollegal), Manohar Ainapur (erstwhile Balloli) and ex-Mysuru mayor K Purushottam into the Congress.

After yatra success, Congress is slipping back

The Bharat Jodo Yatra (BJY), which ended on January 30 in Srinagar, boosted the morale of the Congress, besides the image of Rahul Gandhi. But, in the month since then, the Congress has taken some missteps and reverted to a sort of default setting that has kept it dysfunctional since 2014.

For all the talk of reviving democracy and constitutionality in the nation, the Congress chose not to do so within its own structure at the Raipur plenary held between February 24 and 26. According to attendees, the mood was downbeat, and those who had hoped for elections to the CWC (Congress Working Committee) were outmanoeuvred.

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Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami participates in Holi Milan function organised at the CM residence complex in Dehradun.

Taditui Rangkau Zeliang, Yanthungo Patton take oath as Deputy CMs of Nagaland

Neiphiu Rio takes oath as Nagaland CM for fifth straight term.

Two MLAs, T R Zeliang and Y Patton were administered oath as Deputy CMs at Kohima. PM Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president JP Nadda, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, beside others attended the swearing-in ceremony at Kohima.

Swearing-in ceremony of new Nagaland government in Kohima

Rahul Gandhi in grip of Maoist thought process, anarchist elements, says Ravi Shankar Prasad

Our clear conviction isthat Rahul Gandhi is in the grip of Maoist thought process, anarchist elements, saysBJP's Ravi Shankar Prasad. He adds: "Rahul Gandhi has sought to shame India's democracy, polity, parliamentary system from foreign land."

When Rahul goes abroad, he forgets dignity, decency and democratic shame, says BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad

BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad on Tuesday slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for 'defaming India' on foreign soil.

Prasad asked Rahul what happens to him when he goes abroad. "...All dignity, all decency, democratic shame... all are forgotten. Now when the people of the country neither listen to them nor understand them, they go abroad and lament that India's democracy is in danger," he said.

"The BJP would like to very emphatically state with great agony that MrRahul Gandhi has sought to shame India's Democracy, India's Polity, India's Parliament, India's Judicial System and her Strategic Security from a foreign land," he said.

BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa granted anticipatory bail with conditions

The Karnataka High Court has granted conditional anticipatory bail to BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa, an accused in a bribery case.Justice K Natarajan said the MLA shall surrender before the Investigation Officer within 48 hours after receipt of the anticipatory order and also shall not tamper with evidence and not enter the office of Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited.

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan writes to PM Modi over the arrest of former Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia in the excise policy case.

Three signs that Opposition unity is around the corner

Is West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee a thorn in the fragile fabric of Opposition unity? Will the Congress act as a glue? Is Opposition unity elusive? What is the future of the third front that Telangana Chief Minister and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) chief K Chandrashekar Rao is working hard to create?

These are questions which need answers, but the nature of Indian politics is akin to a T20 cricket match where nothing is certain till the last ball is bowled. What can be said, however, is that unless Opposition leaders unite, it will be impossible to defeat the Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

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‘Missing’ posters of BJP MLA Madal, accused in bribery case, seen in Davangere

Handbills describing senior BJP lawmaker Madal Virupakshappa as “missing” have been pasted in parts of Davangere on Tuesday morning, as part of a new Congress campaign to mount pressure on the government to arrest him.

Accused of corruption, Virupakshappa is at large. He has moved petitions seeking anticipatory bail as well as quashing of the FIR registered against him in a bribery case.

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Meghalaya Governor Phagu Chauhan swears in 12-member council of ministers including NPP's Prestone Tynsong & BJP's Alexander Laloo Hek.

Conrad Sangma sworn in as Meghalaya CM

In Meghalaya, 12 member cabinet headed by Sangma was sworn in in a ceremony that began around 11 am. Conrad Sangma took oath as the chief minister for a second straight term.

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11 other ministers take oath along with Conrad Sangma in Meghalaya

Conrad Sangma sworn in as Meghalaya CM for a second straight term

Prime Minister Narendra Modi attends the swearing-in ceremony of Meghalaya CM-designate Conrad Sangma and the state cabinet, at the Raj Bhavan in Shillong.Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president J P Nadda are also present.

A day after examining Rabri Devi, CBI questions Misa Bharti, Lalu Yadav in land-for-job case

Congress targets Bommai government with ‘missing’ BJP MLA Virupakshappa posters

Handbills describing senior BJP lawmaker Madal Virupakshappa as “missing” have been pasted in parts of Davangere on Tuesday morning, which is a new Congress campaign to mount pressure on the government to arrest him.

Accused of corruption, Virupakshappa is at large. He has moved petitions seeking anticipatory bail as well as quashing of the FIR registered against him in a bribery case.

In Kerala, ED officials will also question Additional Private Secretary of Kerala CM in the LIFE Mission scam case.

Meanwhile, the federal probe agency has also made a fresh arrest in the Delhi excise policy case as it took into custody Hyderabad-based liquor businessman Arun Ramchandra Pillai.

ED to question Sisodia in Tihar today in excise case

The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday is expected to question and record the statement of former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia as part of its money laundering probe into alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy, official sources said.

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Bihar government officials interact with migrant workers from the state amid rumoured attacks

Sisodia likely to be questioned by ED in jail today in connection with liquor scam

Former Delhi Deputy CM and AAP leader Manish Sisodia will be questioned by ED in jail todayin connection with liquor scam, reported ANI quoting sources.

Neiphiu Rio, Conrad Sangma to be sworn in as Nagaland, Meghalaya CMs today

Meanwhile, Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP)'s Neiphiu Rio and National People's Party (NPP)'s Conrad Sangma will be sworn in as chief ministers of Nagaland and Meghalaya respectively today. BJP's Manik Saha, will take oath as the chief minister of the saffron-party led alliance government in Tripura on Thursday, a day after Holi.

Mikes in our Parliament are silenced, Rahul Gandhi tells British MPs

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi told British parliamentarians in the Houses of Parliament complex in London on Monday that functioning microphones in the Lok Sabha are often silenced against the Opposition.

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Will write to PM Modi for removal of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's grave from Aurangabad: Shiv Sena MLA

ShivSenaMLA Sanjay Shirsat, who owes allegiance to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, on Monday said he would write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding that Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's grave be removed from Aurangabad city. Shirsat termed as a "biryani party" a protest being held by the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) against the renaming of Aurangabad as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. A relay hunger strike, led by local MP Imtiaz Jaleel of AIMIM, is underway at the district collector's office here since March 4.

Congress has lost opportunity by not supporting Opposition over Adani issue: AAP

TheAAPon Monday attacked the Congress, saying the grand old party lost an opportunity by not supporting the Opposition in the fight over the issues of Adani and raids by central agencies.

AAPnational spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj also took a dig at Rahul Gandhi and said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi wins the elections as he gets to choose his competitor who is the former Congress chief.

BJP likes to believe it will be in power eternally: Rahul Gandhi in London

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) likes to believe it will be in power in India eternally but that is not the case, and to say the Congress is "gone" is a ridiculous idea, Opposition MP Rahul Gandhi said in London on Monday.

Addressing an in-conversation session at the Chatham House think tank on Monday evening to round off his week-long UK tour, Gandhi also pinpointed the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government's lack of focus on a shifting nature of the political discourse in India as the key factor behind its failure.