National Security Advisor Ajit Doval announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to visit India. The visit is likely to occur by the end of 2025. Rahul Gandhi raised concerns about election integrity. He alleged voter fraud and accused the Election Commission of partiality. NDA leaders held a meeting to discuss the Vice-Presidential election.
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis strongly criticized Rahul Gandhi’s voter fraud allegations, suggesting a mental deficiency. Fadnavis dismissed Gandhi’s accusations against the Election Commission of India as baseless, following Gandhi’s claims of ECI collusion with the BJP to manipulate elections, particularly in Maharashtra. The ECI has consistently denied any misconduct.
Following Jagdeep Dhankhar’s resignation, the NDA convened a crucial strategy meeting on Wednesday to deliberate on the upcoming Vice-Presidential election. Authorizing Prime Minister Modi and BJP president Nadda to finalize their candidate, the alliance unanimously passed a resolution. Kiren Rijiju announced the election timeline, setting August 21 as the nomination deadline and September 9 for polling and counting.
Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta denies the existence of a ‘phansi ghar’ (execution room) on the premises. He states the structure inaugurated by former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was actually a ‘tiffin room’. The matter is now with the Privileges Committee for inquiry. Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, and Ram Niwas Goel will be summoned.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has accused the Election Commission of India of electoral malpractices during the recent polls. Gandhi presented documents claiming to show over 100,000 stolen votes in a single assembly constituency. The alleged irregularities include duplicate voters, fake addresses, bulk voters at single addresses, invalid photos, and misuse of Form 6.
The Karnataka Election Commission has demanded Congress leader Rahul Gandhi provide a formal declaration and names of allegedly wrongfully included electors to support his “vote theft” claim. The poll body emphasized the transparent preparation of electoral rolls, stating election results can only be challenged via an Election Petition in High Court.
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav has strongly criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence following the US imposition of a 50% tariff on Indian imports. Yadav accused PM Modi of weakness and subservience to American interests, highlighting the potential damage to the country. He emphasized the need for India to assert its trade policy sovereignty and resist economic coercion.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami surveyed disaster-hit areas, assuring residents of support. Approximately 274 stranded individuals, including tourists from various states, were evacuated from Gangotri. Rescue operations are ongoing with collaborative efforts from multiple agencies like police, SDRF, Army, and ITBP. Evacuees receive medical check-ups, and the Kedarnath Yatra was temporarily suspended due to heavy rainfall.