Kummanam returns as BJP unveils second Kerala list amid internal churn

IANS | March 19, 2026 1:25 PM

Thiruvananthapuram, March 19 (IANS) Senior leader Kummanam Rajasekharan has been brought back into the electoral fray as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) released its second list of candidates on Thursday for the Kerala Legislative Assembly election 2026, seeking to quell internal discontent and recalibrate its strategy.

Amid Congress criticism, two of its veteran MPs justify Centre's West Asia policy

IANS | March 19, 2026 1:11 PM

New Delhi, March 19 (IANS) Shashi Tharoor and Manish Tewari, both Members of Parliament from the Congress party, have publicly defended India’s foreign policy amid the conflict in West Asia involving Iran, Israel, and the US. The two veterans have expressed support for India’s skilful management of the situation, emphasising the importance of safeguarding its own interests in the region.

Akhilesh's statement influenced by politics: OP Rajbhar on Varanasi iftar gathering

IANS | March 19, 2026 12:29 PM

Lucknow, March 19 (IANS) Amid the controversy over the arrest of 14 Muslim youths who allegedly organised an iftar gathering on a boat in the Ganga in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar on Thursday termed Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav’s remarks as “wrong” and politically motivated. He also stated that the government was taking appropriate action in the matter.

Sudhakaran crisis averted in Kerala as senior Cong leader Antony steps in

IANS | March 19, 2026 11:54 AM

Thiruvananthapuram, March 19 (IANS) In a dramatic last-minute intervention, senior Congress leader A.K. Antony stepped in to defuse a brewing crisis within the Indian National Congress, persuading veteran leader and Kannur Lok Sabha member, K. Sudhakaran, to stay back after he was on the verge of quitting the party.