At one time, Congress was not just a political platform but the center of India’s ideology. Great leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel were associated with the party. After the formation of Gujarat in 1960, Congress remained in power almost continuously until 1995. Leaders such as Morarji Desai and K. M. Munshi played key roles in the state government. During this period, Congress contributed significantly to social reforms, agriculture, and industrial development. Ahmedabad also hosted AICC sessions that helped shape national politics.

In 1995, Bharatiya Janata Party came to power, marking the beginning of Congress’s decline. Since 1998, BJP has maintained continuous control. Internal conflicts within Congress, unfulfilled promises on social justice, and its inability to align with narratives like Hindutva and development weakened the party. During Narendra Modi’s tenure as Chief Minister (2001–2014), the “Gujarat Model” strengthened BJP’s position across India. Many Congress leaders and workers switched to BJP.

In the 2017 assembly elections, Congress slightly improved its seat count, but in 2022 it was reduced to just 17 seats, while BJP won 156. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Congress secured only one seat in Banaskantha. The main reasons for this decline include internal divisions, demoralized workers, and loss of public support.

In 2025, an AICC session was held in Ahmedabad after 64 years, seen as an attempt to revive the party. Gujarat Congress president Amit Chavda launched the “Jan Aakrosh Yatra” criticizing BJP’s policies, but the ground reality remains tough. During his Gujarat visit in 2025, Rahul Gandhi said that party workers are divided into two groups—one dedicated to public service and another allegedly aligned with BJP. He stated, “Half of the workers are working for BJP.”

Lack of strong leadership, absence of active central guidance, and weak organizational structure have left workers disheartened. Public support has also shifted away from Congress. Though a few experienced senior leaders remain, they largely rely on their past legacy.

Congress’s biggest challenge is to rebuild leadership and regain public trust. If it can strengthen its organization, energize its workers, and reconnect with the people, it may stage a comeback. Experience remains its key asset, but it needs fresh energy and clear leadership to make it effective.

While Congress is unlikely to perform well in the upcoming local body elections, it may still have a chance to recover if it works hard before the 2027 assembly elections.

The opposition has submitted a notice of a no-confidence motion to remove Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, carrying the signatures of 118 MPs. However, Rahul Gandhi did not sign the notice. After the submission, Birla refrained from presiding over the House proceedings and did not take the Chair on Tuesday.

The opposition has adopted an aggressive stance against Speaker Om Birla and submitted the notice to the Lok Sabha Secretary General. Around 118 MPs from parties such as Congress, DMK, and the Samajwadi Party signed the notice seeking Birla’s removal. Following the notice, Birla recused himself from conducting the House proceedings.

Congress sources said that, keeping in mind the dignity of parliamentary democracy, it was not appropriate for the Leader of the Opposition to sign a no-confidence motion against the Speaker. The opposition moved the notice after alleging that Birla had prevented Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders from speaking during the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address. The notice claimed that the Speaker’s remarks in the House contained clearly false allegations against Congress members.

According to Congress sources, the decision was taken considering institutional propriety and respect for parliamentary traditions, even as the opposition expressed concern over the functioning of the House. The move reflects the ongoing confrontation between the opposition and treasury benches during the Budget Session.

Congress leader Manickam Tagore B posted on social media, saying, “The opposition has maintained faith in constitutional propriety. While respecting the personal dignity of the Hon’ble Speaker, we are distressed that opposition MPs are repeatedly not being given the opportunity to raise issues of public importance. After many years, a no-confidence notice against the Speaker has been submitted. This is a very necessary step.”

Meanwhile, BJP raised a factual error in the notice, pointing out that the document mentioned the year 2025 instead of the current year, raising questions about the submission’s accuracy. BJP leaders also noted that the notice carries the signatures of 118 MPs supporting the motion.

Earlier, BJP women MPs had written to Speaker Om Birla seeking the strictest action under the rules against opposition MPs over the ruckus in the House on February 4, 2026, alleging that they entered the Well, climbed onto the Speaker’s table, and disrupted proceedings.

Winning control of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) was not just an electoral victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). It was a matter of political prestige and psychological dominance. This story begins in 2022 and concludes with the BMC elections of 2026.

The journey began in June 2022, when the Shiv Sena split into two factions. The BJP swiftly formed an Alliance with Eknath Shinde. This move significantly weakened the Thackeray family’s long-standing influence and its “Marathi pride” political narrative. After the 2024 Lok Sabha and Maharashtra Assembly elections, the BJP shifted its complete focus to Mumbai’s civic wards.

In early 2025, senior BJP leaders launched an extensive “booth empowerment” campaign. Under Panna Pramukh 2.0, one party worker was assigned to every street and residential building. At the same time, the BJP relied on systematic data collection to understand voter preferences, local issues, and voting patterns.

Infrastructure development became the BJP’s central campaign message. By the end of 2025, major projects such as the Mumbai Coastal Road, Atal Setu, and several new metro lines were inaugurated by the BJP-led state and central governments. The message to voters was clear and direct: development comes with BJP governance.

By January 2026, seat-sharing arrangements within the Mahayuti alliance were carefully finalised. The Shinde faction contested seats in areas with a strong Marathi voter base, while the BJP focused on wards dominated by North Indian and Gujarati voters. For the first time, the party also fielded a large number of Dalit and OBC candidates in wards where these communities had a decisive influence.

Thirty days before polling, the BJP launched an aggressive advertising campaign. The party described the previous 30 years of BMC administration as an “era of corruption.” Issues such as poor drain cleaning and pothole-ridden roads were highlighted and widely circulated on social media. To reduce the influence of the Thackeray family’s residence, Matoshree, the BJP organised numerous small corner meetings at the local level.

The BJP campaign was not limited to gaining political power. It also focused on the hopes and expectations of Mumbai’s growing middle class. The party projected itself as a symbol of better governance, faster development, and a modern future for the city.

Ultimately, the BJP’s victory in the BMC elections was the result of careful planning, strong organisational structure, effective use of data, and a clear, development-focused narrative built steadily over four years.

A Political Alliance Announced in Maharashtra ahead of important local body elections, especially the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections in Mumbai.

Shiv Sena (UBT), led by Uddhav Thackeray, and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), led by Raj Thackeray, have decided to join hands for the upcoming Mumbai civic elections scheduled for January 15.

This Alliance is significant because the two parties are led by cousins who were political Rivals for many years. Their coming together shows an effort to unite Marathi  voters and strengthen their position in Mumbai politics.

Raj Thackeray said that the Alliance is currently for Mumbai, and a similar decision may be announced later for Nashik. He also made it clear that the Mayor of Mumbai will be a Marathi person from either Shiv Sena (UBT) or MNS. However, details about how many seats each party will contest have not yet been shared.

Uddhav Thackeray said that the Alliance Aims to protect Mumbai and warned Marathi voters that division among them would lead to defeat. He also invited people who are unhappy with the BJP to support this alliance.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut called this a historic moment and said that the leadership of the Thackeray family is important for Maharashtra’s future.

This Alliance could have a major impact on Mumbai’s local politics.

On October 30th, 2025, Patidar community woman leader Jeegeesha Patel formally joined the AAP. The event took place at a farm along the Rajkot-Ahmedabad highway.This significant move occurred during the visit of AAP Supremo Arvind Kejriwal, who was in Gujarat with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for a farmer's Mahapanchayat scheduled for the following day between Rajkot and Surendranagar. Jeegeesha Patel officially donned the AAP scarf (khes) in the presence of Kejriwal, as well as leaders like Isudan Gadhvi, Gopal Italia, and Chaitar Vasava.

Jeegeesha Patel had been widely discussed for a long time, particularly concerning issues in Gondal and Ribda, and had frequently appeared in press conferences related to the Amit Khund murder case. She explained her decision to join the AAP by stating that she had been fighting for society for many years, and based on the advice of elders, she decided to enter politics.

While the sources discuss elections generally, focusing specifically on her potential role in Gondal, her entry is framed as a critical move designed to enhance AAP's strength in Saurashtra politics. After Visavadar legislative assembly byelection victory of Gopal Italia, AAP is upbeat about local body elections in coming months and legislative assembly elections in 2027. Moreover, focus on Saurashtra will also prove beneficial for Surat where party got its first victory of 27 corporators in 2020 elections. 

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1.Strengthening AAP in Saurashtra: This move is viewed as a major strategic victory for AAP, coming directly after Gopal Italia's electoral win in Visavadar. The inclusion of a prominent Patidar woman leader is seen as providing significant momentum and strength to the party's growth in the Saurashtra region. The general sentiment is that this signals that change is coming, as people are joining the AAP with confidence.

2. Focus on Gondal: The immediate impact is the heightened political attention on the Gondal area. Jeegeesha Patel has long been associated with discussions concerning Gondal. The day after she joined AAP, she had a pre-scheduled, important program in Gondal related to the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Patel.

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3. Candidate Speculation: Her entry has immediately ignited speculation regarding whether the AAP will field her as a candidate for the election in Gondal. Patel herself stated that the decision to contest or not would be entirely made by the party leadership, and she would dedicate all her strength and effort on the ground according to their directive. This strong potential candidacy adds a new dimension to Gondal's political structure, making it a critical point of focus for all parties.

The formation of the Indian delegation to explain India's stance on Operation Sindoor and terrorism and to expose Pakistan is in the limelight. This team also includes All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi. This is the same Owaisi, whom the opposition constantly surrounds as BJP's B team, but now that the Modi government has included him in the international delegation, the debate has heated up again.

Meanwhile, an old video clip is going viral on social media. In this clip, it can be seen that Hyderabad MP Owaisi asked Amit Shah, 'Whose team am I a part of?' Hearing this question, everyone present in the Lok Sabha laughs, then Amit Shah calmly replies, 'That's it, Owaisi ji, I want you to form your own team... Hey, they (opposition) are troubled, so I say you form your own team. Your issues are always different.'

It is not possible to give a clear date when Amit Shah said this in Parliament, but today after Owaisi's name was included in Team Modi, this clip is going viral once again. People are saying that what Amit Shah said has come true.

Owaisi has been raising a lot of voice against Pakistan since the Pahalgam terrorist attack and is constantly attacking it. On being included in the all-party delegation being sent by the central government to visit various countries, Owaisi said that as a member, this will be the essence of his message to the international community. Along with this, he said that the world will have to be shown about the killing of innocent people by terrorists nurtured by Pakistan for a long time.

So, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi has categorically rejected the allegations of calling BJP's 'B team'. Owaisi said that BJP's return to power is not because of me, but because of the failure of the opposition. If I contest elections on only 5 seats and BJP's seats come down to 240, then how can I be held responsible?

Owaisi said that BJP has won the Hindu votes, what is my mistake in that? Owaisi also attacked the RSS and said, 'RSS's intention is to turn India into a religious state. They want to end pluralism. He also alleged that RSS supporters are behind the cases being filed in the court.

Now that the central government has included Owaisi in the delegation, the opposition's allegations have gained new strength. However, it can also be called a part of a parliamentary process in which MPs of different parties are sent on foreign trips. But the way this development matches Amit Shah's earlier comments, it has definitely become politically interesting.

[Parishi Virani]

Have you ever looked at India’s Parliament and wondered—where are all the women? Despite being one of the largest democracies in the world, India has historically struggled with women’s representation in politics. But now, that’s beginning to change.

In 2023, the Indian Parliament passed the historic 106th Constitutional Amendment, guaranteeing one-third reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies. It’s not just a political move—it’s a powerful statement. And here’s why it matters.

A Long Road, Finally Paved

The idea of reserving seats for women in Parliament isn’t new. The Women’s Reservation Bill was first introduced in 1996. For over 25 years, it faced repeated setbacks due to political resistance, debates over tokenism, and fears of disturbing power dynamics.
Finally, in 2023, after decades of civil society pressure, public discourse, and changing tides, the bill was passed—becoming the 106th Amendment to the Constitution of India.

Why It Matters So Much

Representation isn’t just about numbers. It’s about voice, influence, and visibility.
This amendment ensures 33% of seats in key legislative bodies are held by women.
It includes sub-quotas for SC/ST women, recognizing intersecting layers of marginalization.

It’s based on the idea that governance should reflect the people it serves—not just half of them.

If implemented sincerely, this reform can shake up India’s male-dominated political culture, putting issues like women's safety, education, health, and economic empowerment at the center of national policy.

The Global Perspective: Lessons We Can Learn

Countries like Rwanda (61% women in Parliament) and France (Parity Law mandating 50% women candidates) show us that gender quotas can work—if backed by political will and cultural change.

But take Pakistan, where 17% of seats are reserved for women, many of whom serve as figureheads. The lesson? Tokenism without power achieves nothing. India must avoid that trap.

Not Just a Law—A Catalyst

The 106th Amendment is supported by a strong institutional ecosystem:

The Election Commission of India (ECI) will oversee fair allocation of reserved seats and prevent misuse like proxy representation.

The National Commission for Women (NCW) will advocate for real empowerment—not just symbolic inclusion.

The Judiciary may weigh in on the amendment's interpretation, especially its 15-year sunset clause and possible extension to the Rajya Sabha.

Challenges to Watch Out For

Let’s be real—passing a law is one thing. Implementing it effectively is another. Here are some hurdles we need to address:

Political resistance from parties unwilling to share power.

Tokenism, where women get seats but no decision-making authority.

Dynastic politics, which could crowd out grassroots women leaders.

Delays in delimitation and electoral processes that could slow down implementation.

What More Needs to Be Done?

The amendment is a bold step—but it's just the beginning. Here's what should come next:

Extend reservation to the Rajya Sabha and State Legislative Councils.

Mandate political parties to field at least 50% women candidates.

Provide leadership training for first-time women MPs and MLAs.

Enforce legal protections against proxy candidates and forced resignations.

Launch public awareness campaigns to normalize women in politics.

The Bottom Line

The 106th Constitutional Amendment has the power to change the face of Indian democracy. 

But its success depends on what we do next.

Will women get real political power, or just more seats with no say? Will political 
parties truly empower them, or keep control behind the scenes? These are questions we must keep asking.

(Author is a Law Student)