AAP to be 'credible' opposition to Modi

February 11, 2015

New Delhi, Feb 11: After a decisive victory in the Delhi Assembly polls, the Aam Aadmi Party is giving indications of positioning itself as the “credible” opposition to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“We are not a regional party. We do not share anything in common with other regional parties. We wish to emerge as a credible and transparent alternative to the current politics,” party ideologue Yogendra Yadav revealed in a debate on NDTV.

He, however, made it clear that the party was not considering contesting elections in Bihar or in any other state right now. He said that would depend on many factors as equations in states are different from that in the national capital.

The party is clear in its goal of not allying with anti-BJP or anti-Congress parties - SP, JD-U, Trinamool Congress and others. Yadav accused them of being part of the same brand of politics. He asserted that the AAP was not interested in becoming a political alternative but wanted to provide “alternative to politics”.

Though a section of the party has been in favour of taking support from other parties, the party leadership has resisted the option. A recent example is of declining the offer of former Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar to address rallies in support of AAP during Delhi polls. “It is still not clear whether we would go national or remain limited to the national capital. There is certainly a section in the party that pleads for concentrating on Delhi, at least for now,” admits a senior party leader.

However, according to party sources, the party has done enough ground work to expand to states under its ‘Mission Vistar (expansion)’. The committee is expected to submit its report sometime next fortnight.

Party sources said leaders like Prashant Bhushan have been pleading for a more transparent mechanism of decision making in the party. They had raised the issue of giving tickets to leaders who had deserted other parties to join AAP at the time of elections. They want the party to shed this practise before any expansion. They want the party to implement its constitution in letter and spirit, which stands for participatory decision making.

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PM Modi, King Abdullah II share 8-point vision to deepen India-Jordan ties

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December 16,2025

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday held talks with Jordan’s King Abdullah II in Amman, during which the two leaders discussed ways to further strengthen bilateral relations, with the Prime Minister outlining an eight-point vision covering key areas of cooperation.

Describing the meeting as “productive”, PM Modi said he shared a roadmap focused on trade and economy, fertilisers and agriculture, information technology, healthcare, infrastructure, critical and strategic minerals, civil nuclear cooperation, and people-to-people ties.

In a post on social media platform X, the Prime Minister praised King Abdullah II’s personal commitment to advancing India–Jordan relations, particularly as both countries mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties this year.

“Held productive discussions with His Majesty King Abdullah II in Amman. His personal commitment towards vibrant India-Jordan relations is noteworthy. This year, we are celebrating the 75th anniversary of our bilateral diplomatic relations,” PM Modi said.

The meeting took place at the Al Husseiniya Palace, where the two leaders also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), both sides agreed to further deepen cooperation in areas including trade and investment, defence and security, counter-terrorism and de-radicalisation, fertilisers and agriculture, infrastructure, renewable energy, tourism, and heritage.

The MEA said both leaders reaffirmed their united stand against terrorism.

PM Modi arrived in Amman earlier on Monday and was received by Jordanian Prime Minister Jafar Hassan, who accorded him a formal welcome. Following the talks, King Abdullah II hosted a banquet dinner in honour of the Prime Minister, reflecting the warmth of bilateral ties.

Jordan is the first leg of PM Modi’s three-nation tour. From Amman, the Prime Minister will travel to Ethiopia at the invitation of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali, marking his first official visit to the African nation. The tour will conclude with a visit to Oman.

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Over 58 lakh names dropped from draft voter list in Bengal ahead of polls

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December 16,2025

The deletion of over 58 lakh names from West Bengal’s draft electoral rolls following a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) has sparked widespread concern and is likely to deepen political tensions in the poll-bound state.

According to the Election Commission, the revision exercise has identified 24 lakh voters as deceased, 19 lakh as relocated, 12 lakh as missing, and 1.3 lakh as duplicate entries. The draft list, published after the completion of the first phase of SIR, aims to remove errors and duplication from the electoral rolls.

However, the scale of deletions has raised fears that a large number of eligible voters may have been wrongly excluded. The Election Commission has said that individuals whose names are missing can file objections and seek corrections. The final voter list is scheduled to be published in February next year, after which the Assembly election announcement is expected. Notably, the last Special Intensive Revision in Bengal was conducted in 2002.

The development has intensified the political row over the SIR process. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her Trinamool Congress have strongly opposed the exercise, accusing the Centre and the Election Commission of attempting to disenfranchise lakhs of voters ahead of the elections.

Addressing a rally in Krishnanagar earlier this month, Banerjee urged people to protest if their names were removed from the voter list, alleging intimidation during elections and warning of serious consequences if voting rights were taken away.

The BJP, meanwhile, has defended the revision and accused the Trinamool Congress of politicising the issue to protect what it claims is an illegal voter base. Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari alleged that the ruling party fears losing power due to the removal of deceased, fake, and illegal voters.

The controversy comes amid earlier allegations by the Trinamool Congress that excessive work pressure during the SIR led to the deaths by suicide of some Booth Level Officers (BLOs), for which the party blamed the Election Commission. With the draft list now out, another round of political confrontation appears imminent.

As objections begin to be filed, the focus will be on whether the correction mechanism is accessible, transparent, and timely—critical factors in ensuring that no eligible voter is denied their democratic right ahead of a crucial election.

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