Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader, Member of Parliament, and former Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad defended the ruling party's decision to counter the opposition's vote theft allegations on the streets, accusing Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of building a false narrative and humiliating constitutional bodies. Speaking on India Today, Prasad stated that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is a constitutional requirement under the Representation of the People Act, aimed at removing duplicate and deceased voters while ensuring genuine electors are included with valid documents. Rejecting demands to return to paper ballots, he argued that technology has curtailed historical voting malpractices such as booth capturing. Prasad also challenged the Congress leadership to resign from state governments if they consider election processes compromised, asserting that the opposition is resorting to confrontation and disrespecting institutional processes after repeated electoral defeats across states.
Actor Shah Rukh Khan marked his birthday by continuing his tradition of greeting fans from the balcony of his Mumbai residence, Mannat. The superstar made an appearance before the crowd of admirers assembled outside his house, waving and blowing kisses to celebrate the occasion alongside his fans.
A proposed 3,000 megawatt pumped storage hydropower project in Karjat taluka of Maharashtra's Raigad district has sparked intense local opposition and environmental concerns. The Sai Dongar-1 project, developed by Torrent Power at an estimated cost of 13,500 crore rupees, entails diverting 233 hectares of forest land and felling 32,490 trees. While local villagers are protesting over the destruction of forests, loss of grazing land, and severe threats to their livelihoods, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has defended the project as an initiative for cleaner energy integration, announcing compensatory plans to plant 90,000 trees.
An investigation into an alleged fake sting operation targeting former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has triggered a political confrontation in the state. According to the Bengaluru Police Commissioner, arrested suspect Ritesh Pandey claimed that a mobile phone purchased in Karol Bagh for the sting was delivered to Prajwal Prasad at Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy's official residence in Delhi. The police clarified that the suspect's claim is subject to verification. Kumaraswamy denied the allegations, accusing the state government of pressuring inquiry officers to target him. Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge defended the police probe, stating authorities will summon the Union Minister if any evidence emerges.
In this debate, anchor Rajdeep Sardesai questions representatives of the Telugu Desam Party and the YSR Congress Party over violent incidents and attacks on journalists during local body elections in Andhra Pradesh. TDP national spokesperson Deepak Reddy Gunapati strongly condemns the assault on media personnel in Pulivendula and alleges that YSRCP chief Jagan Mohan Reddy orchestrated pre-planned violence in his home district due to fear of losing his political bastion. Countering the accusations, YSRCP national spokesperson Karthik Yellapragada dismisses the claims, stating that the ruling TDP-led administration is manipulating nominations and using state machinery to suppress democratic processes. While the TDP argues that a majority of re-polling instances occurred in Pulivendula, YSRCP demands a free and fair electoral process, challenging the government to register FIRs and conduct transparent investigations. The discussion highlights bitter political confrontations between the ruling and opposition parties amidst rising violence during civic polls.