Leaders of the INDI alliance – the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) held a meeting in New Delhi today to discuss seat sharing in Delhi, Punjab and other states for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, with both sides saying the talks were progressing well, news agency PTI reports.

The meeting – held at Congress leader Mukul Wasnik's residence – reportedly went on for nearly two hours, and was attended by AAP national general secretary Sandeep Pathak, Delhi ministers Atishi and Saurabh Bhardwaj and Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha, among others.

The Congress has released a ‘Nyay anthem’ with the tagline ‘Saho Mat, Daro Mat (do not suffer, do not be scared)’, even as it asserted that the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra is being organized by the party to raise voice against the "injustice" in the last 10 years.

Taking to ‘X’, Rahul Gandhi wrote: "We will reach every house until we get justice… Do not suffer, do not be afraid!" 

The march, led by Gandhi, is scheduled to start from Manipur on Sunday and is expected to conclude in Mumbai on March 20.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde today claimed that there will be a political earthquake in the state after the Lok Sabha elections that are likely to be held in April/May this year, news agency PTI reports.

Shinde, while speaking at a public meeting in Navi Mumbai, said under the leadership of PM Modi, the country was progressing at a "bullet speed".

“After the Lok Sabha elections, there will be a political earthquake in the state...We have to ensure that Modi returns to power for the third term with [the ruling alliance winning] over 400 seats”, Shinde reportedly said, even as he exuded confidence that the alliance will win over 45 seats (out of the total 48) in Maharashtra.

Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party's (NCP) working president Supriya Sule has said the NCP was positive about forging an alliance with Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) party, news agency PTI reports.

The NCP and the Congress, along with the Shiv Sena (UBT), are part of the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi in Maharashtra, and the VBA leader has often spoken about the need for the three parties to come to an agreement on including his outfit to take on the BJP unitedly in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Dorjee Tshering Lepcha has won Sikkim’s lone Rajya Sabha seat uncontested, news agency PTI reports, quoting an official.

INDI Alliance all set to hold a meeting on January 13 via Zoom at 11.30 AM in morning to discuss strategy on seat sharing. The meeting will also take a decision on finalising the national convener of the alliance.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said that emotional issues are being ‘misused’ politically and attention is being diverted from real issues, in a ‘betrayal’ of the people of the country. In a post in Hindi on X on National Youth Day, Gandhi stressed the need to remember the thoughts of Swami Vivekananda, who regarded the energy of the youth the basis of a prosperous country and service of those suffering and the poor as the greatest penance. "The youth will have to think about what will be the identity of the India of our dreams? Quality of life or just emotions? The youth raising provocative slogans or the employed youth? Love or hate?" Gandhi said.

(With PTI inputs)

Congress MP Karti Chidambaram appeared before the Enforcement Directorate on Friday, his third deposition in less than a month, for questioning in a money laundering case linked to alleged issuance of visas to some Chinese nationals in 2011, sources said. The 52-year-old legislator from Sivaganga Lok Sabha seat in Tamil Nadu was questioned in this case on December 23 last year and January 2 and the central agency recorded his statement under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Karti went to the ED headquarters in Delhi for the third time on Friday morning. It is understood that his deposition was in connection with the Chinese visa linked PMLA case this time too. 

(With PTI inputs)

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday chaired a meeting of the party's Lok Sabha coordinators from several states, including Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Delhi, and urged them to increase their connect with the people. The party President had earlier on Thursday held fruitful discussions with the Lok Sabha coordinators from other states. The party has appointed coordinators for all Lok Sabha constituencies in a bid to coordinate the efforts being made across the country ahead of the elections.

"The din of diversion shall be defeated by the determination for Democracy! 'Nyay Yodhas' shall win the 2024 Elections. People’s power shall prevail! We had a fruitful discussion for the Lok Sabha elections with the AICC Coordinators from Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Maharashtra, Goa, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu," Kharge said in a post on X while sharing the pictures of the meeting.

As per sources, the seat sharing meeting between Samajwadi Party and Congress now stands cancelled. Sources close to the party inform that Samajwadi Party is miffed with Congress high command's silence on state leaders assertions to approach BSP to join the INDI Alliance before Lok Sabha elections.

The next level of the Aam Aadmi party (AAP) and Congress talks on seat-sharing will be held on January 13, after the unsuccessful first round of talks.

PM Modi carried out the Swachchata Abhiyan today at the Kalaram temple in Nashik. The PM appealed to Indians to cleanse temples across the country ahead of Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha ceremony.

BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has commented upon Congress refusing to attend the Ayodhya Ram Temple Pran Pratishtha ceremony. "This is just their arrogance. There is nothing new in It. They (the Congress) boycotted the Parliament, the Constitution, and democracy. People have also decided to boycott them and that is why they are in such a situation. They are frustrated that the matter, which they kept delaying by creating several hurdles, has now been resolved peacefully and amicably.”

At the 27th National Youth Festival inauguration in Delhi, PM Narendra Modi said that India is aiming to be the manufacturing hub of the world.

At the 27th Youth Festival in Nashik, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that his government in its 10 years of rule has focussed on the youth of the nation. He also spoke about the various schemes of the government for the youth, including in education and entrepreneurship. 

"Prabhu Shri Ram Spent a Lot of Time at Nashik," said PM Narendra Modi in Nashik, adding that he salutes this land.

Congress' Acharya Pramod Krishnam has said the party rejecting the invite for the Ram Mandir inauguration is unfortunate.

“Lord Ram, Lakshman and Seeta Mata visited Panchavati, and today PM Modi has visited Panchavati,” Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Nashik today.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) wants the Congress leadership to acknowledge that the party is weak in West Bengal, and let Mamata Banerjee lead the fight against the BJP in the state. The TMC gave out this message to the Congress ahead of the seat-sharing talks as part of the INDI Alliance. 

PDP President Mehbooba Mufti said on Thursday that the central investigation agencies are being used by the Centre to harass the opposition leaders ahead of the Lok Sabha Elections 2024, adding that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has “become a part of the election process”.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be part of a roadshow in Nashik and Mumbai today. The PM will inaugurate the 27th National Youth Festival, the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link, and various other projects totalling Rs 30,5000 crore. Click here to know PM Modi's itinerary in Maharashtra