Rebels are abusing 10th Schedule: Abhishek Manu Singhvi on defection politics

A fierce political clash has erupted in Tamil Nadu between the ruling TVK and the opposition DMK. TVK Minister Adhav launched a direct attack on Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin, accusing him of working to destroy the DMK. Questioning whether the DMK would retain its deposit, Adhav laid down an open challenge regarding the contest in Maduraithurai, daring Udhayanidhi to resign from his party posts if the TVK secures more votes. Reporter Pramod Madhav provides insights on the escalating personal attacks between both sides.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav is set to skip the crucial September 30 meeting of the INDIA bloc, citing prior engagements and upcoming political commitments in Uttar Pradesh. While senior Samajwadi Party leaders are scheduled to attend the session in his place, internal friction over seat sharing between the Congress and the Samajwadi Party has surfaced. The Congress has reportedly sought between 105 and 115 seats, a demand contested by the regional party, which insists on reviewing candidate lists and regional equations before finalising any alliance. The opposition gathering is also slated to discuss united strategy regarding the Chief Election Commissioner.

Indian equity markets opened the week on a sharp negative note, with the Nifty breaching the crucial 23,000 mark and tumbling over 225 points amid fears of a potential Reserve Bank of India repo rate hike, rising crude prices, and sustained foreign institutional investor selling. The rupee weakened to 95.88 per US dollar, while MCX gold and silver also logged notable declines. Amid broad market weakness, banking and financial shares suffered significant cuts, while India VIX rallied over 11 percent, underscoring elevated market volatility. Separately, attention remained focused on Tata Sons as uncertainty continues regarding the schedule of its annual general meeting alongside decisions regarding the reappointment of N. Chandrasekaran and a potential listing. Additionally, scrutiny over the US H-1B visa program under the Trump administration presents emerging challenges for the domestic information technology sector.

An IndiGo flight operating from Guwahati to Bengaluru suffered a tail strike while landing amid gusty weather at the Kempegowda International Airport. The aircraft made abnormal contact with the runway, but a major mishap was averted. All 225 passengers and crew members on board landed safely and disembarked without injuries. Following the incident, the aircraft was grounded and taken in for technical examination. The airline stated that the pilots informed relevant authorities in accordance with standard operating procedures. Technical inspection remains underway, and IndiGo noted that the aircraft will resume flight operations only after securing the required safety clearances.