Congress accuses Nirmala Sitharaman of repeating ‘false claims’

The AIADMK rebels, including former Ministers S.P. Velumani, P. Thangamani, and K.P. Anbalagan, have conveyed to party general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami their unwillingness to accept the new posts assigned to them.After the dissidents went against the party’s stand to oppose the vote of confidence motion moved by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay in the Assembly on May 13, Mr. Palaniswami sacked 26 district secretaries.A few days later, he eased out more district secretaries from their post. On June 25, the general secretary did not restore the post of district secretary to any of the deposed functionaries, but offered them other positions. Mr. Velumani and another senior rebel, Natham R. Viswanathan, were made deputy general secretaries.At the same time, former Law Minister C.Ve. Shanmugam, a bitter critic of Mr. Palaniswami, was not given any post. Mr. Velumani, while addressing a meeting in Coimbatore last Sunday, wondered how he would accept the position when many of his colleagues had not been “properly accommodated” in the organisation.In a letter jointly signed, nine rebels accused Mr. Palaniswami of “not respecting” what was agreed between them at the time of truce in May, when the two MLA camps withdrew their complaints against each other for disqualification. Their communication, dated June 30, said the present state of affairs had arisen because of Mr. Palaniswami’s move to form a government with the DMK’s help. It would not have occurred if he had decided to remain an Opposition party, the letter added. Mr. Viswanathan; former Ministers K.C. Veeramani and P. Balakrishna Reddy; and former secretaries of the Tenkasi (north), Ranipet (west) and Cuddalore (west) units C. Krishnamurali, S.M. Sukumar, and A. Arunmozhithevan were the other signatories. Mr. Shanmugam was not a part of this group of rebels.Mr. Thangamani and Mr. Anbalagan, who were the party’s district secretaries of the Namakkal and Dharmapuri units till the revolt and held the portfolios of Electricity and Higher Education in the previous AIADMK regime (2016-21), were made organisation secretaries in the latest action of the party general secrertary.They told The Hindu on Wednesday they would prefer to remain “ordinary volunteers” of the party. Asked whether they would switch over to the TVK or the DMK, they emphatically said they would not leave the organisation, and clarified that they were not against the party leadership.The former Electricity Minister recalled that when the factions led by Janaki Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa came together in February 1989 and the groups headed by O. Panneerselvam (now in the DMK) and Mr Palaniswami patched up in August-September 2017, those who held positions in the party were given back their posts. “Let me make one point clear: We are not against the party leadership. EPS [Mr Palaniswami] is our general secretary,” he observed.Was the decision not to accept the new position made out of Mr Palaniswami not giving back the post of district secretary? “No” was the answer of Mr Anbalagan. “The position given to me is no recognition of my work to the party,” he added.Meanwhile, a few supporters of Mr. Palaniswami wondered how the general secretary could make the rebels district secretaries again. They contended that if their leader had conceded the demand of the dissidents, his disciplinary actions in future would not carry any weight. One of them pointed out that the rebels had not only wanted the general council to be convened but also carried out a drive to collect signatures of sections of members of the council.Women’s wing meetMeanwhile, the AIADMK’s women wing resolved to work hard for the party’s success in the forthcoming by-elections to several Assembly constituencies and the local bodies’ polls. This followed the advice of Mr. Palaniswami, who chaired the meeting at the headquarters in Chennai, to members of the wing, encouraging them to strengthen the organisation and rope in more women.Briefing journ

U.P. Congress chief Ajay Rai has been placed under house arrest at a hotel in Ayodhya, the UP Congress said in a statement. Credit: PTI Video screen grab/X The Congress’ Uttar Pradesh unit President Ajay Rai has been placed under house arrest at a hotel in Ayodhya, the opposition party said in a statement on Monday evening (June 29, 2026). This development comes ahead of a high-level party delegation visit to pay obeisance at the Ram temple’s shrine on Tuesday (June 30), amid an ongoing controversy over alleged embezzlement of funds at the temple.भाजपा सरकार की तानाशाही चरम पर है!​उत्तर प्रदेश कांग्रेस का प्रतिनिधिमंडल कल 30 जून को अयोध्या में प्रभु श्री राम के दर्शन-पूजन के लिए जाने वाला था।मैं अयोध्या पहुँचा ही था कि भाजपा सरकार इतनी डर गई कि पुलिस मुझे होटल से गिरफ़्तार कर अपनी जीप में बैठाकर ले जा रहीं है।… pic.twitter.com/hjC9eSPy9r— Ajay Rai🇮🇳 (@kashikirai) June 29, 2026The delegation is expected to be led by the party’s State unit chief Mr. Rai and four other MPs, including Kishori Lal Sharma (Amethi), Rakesh Rathor (Sitapur), Ujjwal Raman Singh (Prayagraj) and Tanuj Punia (Barabanki), according to a statement issued by the Congress.Ram temple ‘fraud’: SIT finds blatant SOP violationsFormer Barabanki MP S P Gautam, former MLC Deepak Singh, former Maharajganj MLA Virendra Chaudhary and former Barabanki MLA Mita Gautam will also be there with the delegation.The party has informed the local administration about the proposed visit.“Ayodhya lawyers have made it clear that accused persons like Champat Rai, Anil Mishra, and Gopal Rao must leave Ayodhya within three days. If this does not happen, Ayodhya will be completely blocked, and no lawyer will fight their case. The people of Ayodhya will no longer tolerate those who indulge in corruption in the name of faith. These individuals, under the protection of power, will now have to answer. We are demanding a Supreme Court-monitored investigation in the case,” Mr. Rai had told The Hindu earlier in the day.Mr. Rai’s wife Rina Rai, in a video statement, said: “After being taken away in a police jeep, now our colleagues are being misled with false information. Our fight against the ‘offering thieves’ will continue. If anything happens to my husband, the full responsibility will lie with this unjust BJP government.”Earlier in the day, Uttar Pradesh Minister Dayashankar Singh said Opposition leaders do not believe in Lord Ram, have never visited the temple in Ayodhya, taken no part in its construction and yet question people who have given up "family life to serve the nation"."These are the people who do not believe in Lord Ram. Some among them do not even accept his existence. They have never gone for Lord Ram's darshan. Have those criticising ever visited the Ram temple? Have they made any contribution to its construction?" Mr. Singh asked.With PTI inputs Published - June 30, 2026 02:20 am IST

Both Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy are from Bengaluru South district, of which Bidadi is a part. The political battle for the Vokkaliga turf has intensified, with the Bidadi Township Project emerging as a flashpoint. While the initial opposition to the project began over farmers’ interests, it has now emerged as a ground for one-upmanship among leaders of the land-owning caste in the Old Mysore region.Though it was widely expected to become a thorny issue soon after Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar occupied the top post in the State Congress, his political rival and Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has upped the ante, attracting wider attention within the farming community in south Karnataka in a short span of time. Both leaders are from Bengaluru South district, of which Bidadi is a part.The political narrative has become messier with personal allegations over the accumulation of wealth by Mr. Shivakumar over the last two decades. This has been countered with a poster campaign against Mr. Kumaraswamy and his family that surfaced in the project-notified area.Mr. Kumaraswamy’s actions are also being portrayed by the Congress as “smacking of jealousy”, with a fellow Vokkaliga unable to stomach the rise of another leader from the community. Mr. Kumaraswamy on Sunday countered this by asking whether a leader should be allowed to “loot” simply because he is a Vokkaliga.Incidentally, the project was conceived and notified by Mr. Kumaraswamy during his first term in 2006-07, a fact that is now being highlighted by the Congress. Mr. Shivakumar has repeatedly said that he is not ready to “denotify it now and go to jail.”Mr. Kumaraswamy has vehemently denied that it is a clash of Vokkaliga personalities, maintaining that the opposition is only to the project. Party sources argued that the “soul and identity” of the Vokkaliga community was its land, and that the community had lost vast tracts of it as Bengaluru’s landscape expanded rapidly over the last three decades.“Our focus is to protect farmers from real estate interests. It is only incidental that about 80% of farmers in the region are Vokkaligas,” a leader claimed. He also pointed out that the project had been opposed by the Congress during Mr. Kumaraswamy’s tenure.Several senior Vokkaliga leaders across the political spectrum have also lent their voices to the ongoing farmers’ protest, which is now close to 500 days old, with allegations and counter-allegations continuing to fly.Congress’s Magadi legislator H.C. Balakrishna, in whose constituency the Bidadi project is coming up, has publicly lashed out at Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashok, who had questioned the viability and need for the project.These developments also come at a time when BJP’s Vokkaliga leaders are said to be feeling insecure about Mr. Kumaraswamy’s stature within the alliance. Congress MLA N. Cheluvarayaswamy from Nagamangala, once a close confidant of Mr. Kumaraswamy, has also criticised him, while another Vokkaliga leader and former Bengaluru South (then Ramanagara) district in-charge Minister C.N. Ashwathnarayan has opposed the project.“The two Congress legislators are speaking at the behest of the Chief Minister since both are eyeing Cabinet berths. Only one of them is expected to get a berth,” a Congress leader said.As farmers protest at Bidadi, KPCC president B.K. Hariprasad and Home Minister Priyank Kharge are among those Congress leaders who have indicated that the project could be dropped if farmers refuse to part with their land. A leader observed that it is also coming at a time when El Niño is expected to affect agriculture in the State significantly, and the optics of land being “snatched” by the government does not augur well.Battle in Bengaluru northAs Vokkaliga leaders from all three parties are slogging it out over Bidadi in Bengaluru South, another Vokkaliga battle has surfaced in Bengaluru North. BJP Yelahanka MLA S.R. Vishwanath and BJP Chi

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy at a public meeting after laying the foundation stone for Hybrid Annuity Mode roads in Nalgonda district on Sunday. | Revanth Reddy challenged Opposition parties to a debate on the floor of the Legislature on the performance of his 30-month administration, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government led by K. Chandrashekhar Rao, and the BJP-led government at the Centre.He also said the government would complete the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) project by the next elections and reiterated his commitment to undertake the rejuvenation of the Musi River at any cost.Addressing a public meeting at the NG College grounds in Nalgonda after participating in several development programmes, Mr. Reddy said he was ready to discuss development and welfare initiatives during special sessions of the Legislature and asked Opposition parties to write to the Speaker and the Council Chairman requesting the convening of such sessions.“They keep asking what the Congress has done and what Revanth Reddy has brought to the State. We are ready to convene special sessions of the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council. Let us settle in the Assembly who has done what,” he said.Continuing his attack on the BRS, the Chief Minister alleged that the previous regime had left the State burdened with debt. “What should we call those who, in just ten years, burdened Telangana with debts of ₹8.11 lakh crore and caused destruction that would take a hundred years to undo?” he asked.Rejecting the BRS’ hopes of returning to power, he said, “They claim that people want them back in power. It is not the people, but their family that wants power again.”Claiming that the BRS had lost public support, Mr. Reddy said, “Telangana society has permanently socially boycotted your (KCR’s) family. You have no future and no posts ahead of you. All you can do is talk about the past.”He further warned that any obstruction to the Musi rejuvenation project would be dealt with firmly, stating that those opposing it would be ‘thrown into the Musi and trampled upon’.Praising leaders for their role in the Telangana movement, the Chief Minister said, “In the first phase of the Telangana movement, Konda Laxman Bapuji sacrificed his ministerial post. In the second phase, Komatireddy Venkat Reddy sacrificed his ministerial position.”Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka said unprecedented funds had been allocated for road development across the State. He noted that Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy recently laid the foundation stone for HAM roads worth ₹13,000 crore. In addition, ₹13,000 crore had been allocated under the Central Road and Infrastructure Fund (CRIF), along with another ₹10,000 crore from various budgetary provisions.He lauded Minister Venkat Reddy for launching road construction works worth nearly ₹23,000 crore. Including funds from both Central and State government schemes, nearly ₹90,000 crore was being invested in road infrastructure, laying a strong foundation for Telangana’s future growth and development. Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy also spoke at the meeting. Published - June 28, 2026 08:43 pm IST

Omprakash Nimbalkar, Lok Sabha member of Shiv Sena UBT from Dharashiv. File | Speaking with The Hindu from Pune, the MP said he felt torn and that he did not think he was left with any other alternative. Asked if he had already formed a separate group, he said he would speak about it only on Sunday (June 21, 2026) or Monday (June 22, 2026).Asked if he was slated to meet Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde then, he replied in negative. He said he will take a decision on his future course of action only after speaking with the people in his constituency.“Let the verdict in my father’s murder come. What is the purpose of a son’s life? Why did I enter politics? I am seeking justice for my father. It is a case for which my family and I have struggled for two decades now. The CBI has done a good job. The trial went well. It is a very emotional point for us. My father was murdered. And I seek justice,” he told The Hindu.Mr. Nimbalkar’s father, Congress leader Pawanraje Nimbalkar, was shot dead in 2006 by alleged contract killers. A special CBI court in Mumbai will pronounce its judgment on the murder case on Saturday (June 20, 2026).The case, which has seen a trial lasting 15 years, alleges that former Nationalist Congress Party MP Padamsinh Patil, orchestrated the murder of Pawanraje Nimbalkar using contract killers. Mr. Patil is the elder brother of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar.When Mr. Omraje Nimbalkar was asked if his decision to switch over depended on the court verdict, he said, “No. I am waiting for the verdict, but my decision will not depend on that. After the court decision, I will go to my constituency, talk to my people.”‘No option’Hinting that he was being forced to move out of Shiv Sena (UBT), he said that it had become difficult to function effectively due to the lack of funds.“We [our party] could not win any Nagar Panchayat or Nagar Samiti elections. Don’t even ask about Zilla Parishad... In Dharashiv, my candidate was relegated to the third position. After being available for the people in the constituency, after working for them for 24 hours, if this is what people want, then they want only those who are in power,” he claimed.Responding to a question on the alleged backlash and the increase in security, he said he is a ‘people’s person’.“There is no fear of backlash. I will go to my own people. I feel bad that I don’t get funds for the development of my own people. I can’t get a road done in my farmer’s village. I am opposed when I want to get my people’s work done. Are you stopping me because I am in opposition? All these things are impacting me in the elections. My people expect me to deliver, and I am unable to work for them. For how long can we sustain like this? What alternative am I left with?” he asked.‘It was never so bad’Discussing his precarious situation, he said he was in the opposition earlier as well, but that it was never so bad. “Throughout my political career, I have been in opposition earlier, too. But it has never been so bad! Nobody had completely blocked our funds this way,” he said, adding he was left without any alternative. Published - June 19, 2026 12:18 pm IST

The investigation into the alleged phone tapping case that has stirred political controversy in Telangana gathered pace on Saturday, with the Special Investigation Team (SIT) recording the statements of Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao and Congress MP Anil Kumar Yadav.According to sources, police informed Mr. Tummala about his phone being tapped before the Assembly elections in 2023 and they showed the technical evidence about the phone being tapped. They recorded the statement on why his phone could be tapped and whether he had a doubt.Similarly, SIT officials also presented technical evidence to Rajya Sabha member Anil Kumar Yadav that his phone was intercepted during the tenure of the previous government and recorded his statement regarding the matter. Police officials also shared details of the dates and timings when the alleged phone tapping took place.Mr. Anil Yadav later told reporters that the SIT has also confirmed that the phone of his father and former MP Anjan Kumar Yadav was also under surveillance. Considering his age and health condition, officials have decided to visit his residence to record his statement instead of summoning him to the SIT office.He said the investigators had shown him key evidence related to the alleged interception of his phone conversations. “The masterminds as well as those who executed the surveillance should be identified and punished according to law,” Mr. Yadav said. Published - June 13, 2026 10:29 pm IST

B. Vinod Kumar | Vinod Kumar on Wednesday accused the Congress and BJP of playing politics over the proposed Tummidihatti project despite Maharashtra’s longstanding opposition to it, and asserted that Telangana had no practical alternative but to restore the Medigadda barrage and rely on the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS) for its irrigation and drinking water requirements.Addressing a press conference at Telangana Bhavan, he also said the State government’s decision to undertake rehabilitation works at the Medigadda barrage reflected an acceptance of the ground realities surrounding the Tummidihatti project. It also underscored the continuing relevance of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme, which he described as the only viable option available to Telangana for irrigation and drinking water supply.Mr. Vinod Kumar questioned the statements of Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy and BJP State president N. Ramchander Rao on the issue. He reminded that while Mr. Kishan Reddy claimed that he would resign if anyone proved that he was creating hurdles for the Tummidihatti project, Mr. Ramchander Rao alleged that Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy did not write any letter to his Maharashtra counterpart Devendra Fadnavis and he was misleading the people of Telangana.The former MP said the BRS government had also made sustained efforts to secure Maharashtra’s consent after the formation of Telangana.Mr. Vinod Kumar pointed out that Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar had earlier expressed confidence that the required permissions could be obtained within six months. However, no breakthrough had been achieved so far, he added. Published - June 10, 2026 07:22 pm IST