Author: TheStateLine

New Delhi, Feb 11 (IANS) Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary M.A. Baby on Wednesday indicated that the possibility of an electoral understanding between the Left Front and the Congress in West Bengal is remote, even as he underlined that Opposition parties remain united on select national issues, including concerns over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.Speaking to IANS in an interview on the preparations for the upcoming Assembly elections in various states, Baby said the political context varies sharply from state to state.In Kerala, where the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front has been in office for two consecutive terms, the alliance is aiming for a third successive mandate. In West Bengal, the CPI(M)-led Left Front is likely to contest inde...

Bengaluru, Feb 11 (IANS) The Karnataka Congress crisis is likely to escalate, with Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar’s brother and former Congress MP D.K. Suresh stating that he is confident Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will keep his word, hinting at a power-sharing formula.The development took another serious turn with Deputy CM Shivakumar reiterating in Delhi that he and Siddaramaiah had spoken to each other in the presence of national leaders and that he would speak about it when the time comes.Speaking to the media in Bengaluru on Wednesday, D.K. Suresh said, in response to a question, that he is confident that though it may be delayed, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will keep his word.Replying to questions regarding a possible leadership change and D.K. Suresh's statement, Siddaramaia...

New Delhi, Feb 11 (IANS) Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi launched a fierce critique of the Modi government over the Union Budget 2026-27, alleging that the Prime Minister "compromised" India’s energy security interests and sold out the nation to foreign powers, prompting loud protests from the treasury benches. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju objected to his “wild” references and asked him to engage in constructive criticism. Remaining unfazed, Gandhi doubled down his pitch and accused the Centre of “shamelessly” striking a trade deal with the United States while "surrendering" its own interests. His “nonsense” jibe at the government triggered fierce opposition from the ruling side and also an interjection from Jadambika Pal, the officiating Speaker in...

Ahmedabad, Feb 11 (IANS) Senior farmer leader Raju Karpada has resigned from all posts in the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Gujarat, marking a notable setback for the party in the state. Party leaders cited political pressure from the state government as the farmer leader spent over 100 days in jail during the Haddad agitation.Karpada, who led the AAP’s Kisan Morcha and served as president of its Gujarat Kisan Cell, announced his decision on social media, leading to speculation over his political future.In his statement released on Wednesday, Karpada wrote: "I resign from all posts of the Aam Aadmi Party. My decision may come as a shock to many. I gave special priority and time, along with my family, to strengthen the party, but destiny had written my support only till this point."If I have hur...

New Delhi, Feb 11 (IANS) The recent bombing at a mosque in Islamabad by the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) clearly shows that the terror outfit has exploited the failing security mechanism in Pakistan. The ISKP was quiet when it came to operations in Pakistan for almost a year.The last attack that the ISKP claimed responsibility for was at Balochistan's Mastung on April 15, 2025, when a bus carrying personnel of the Pakistani security forces was targeted, resulting in the death of three.Security analysts say that the ISKP has been carrying out attacks in Pakistan since 2015. However, until 2022, the attacks were fewer, and there were years when just one strike was claimed by the ISKP.However, the number of attacks went up considerably after 2022 and in all, there have been 90 attac...

Gandhinagar, Feb 11 (IANS) The Gujarat government will procure gram and mustard from farmers at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for the 2026–27 season, with online registration for eligible cultivators scheduled from February 13 to March 5, state Agriculture Minister Jitu Vaghani said on Wednesday.Vaghani said the decision had been taken under the guidance of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel to ensure that farmers receive remunerative prices for their produce along with financial protection.The procurement in Gujarat will be carried out under the Price Support Scheme (PSS) as part of the Central government's Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan."To ensure that farmers in the state receive remunerative prices for their produce along with economic protection, the government has plann...