Third eye: For a change, no EVM challenge, nothing less than an awards mania and decoding ‘cross the line’ remark

For a change, no EVM challenge: While recent elections have often seen defeated political parties questioning the Election Commission (ECI) and its processes following the result declaration, the silence of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) after its ousting in Delhi stands in stark contrast. Not a single application for EVM memory Checking & Verification (C&V) has been filed across the 70 assembly constituencies of Delhi. In fact, only this week two petitions were filed in court - challenging the elections of former CM Atishi and BJP's Parvesh Verma - by a voter and an NCP candidate, respectively.

Nothing less than an awards mania

Meanwhile, demands for the Bharat Ratna are emerging almost every other day from Bihar. Just days ago, BJP legislators in the state assembly called for the Bharat Ratna to be awarded to Nitish Kumar, and on Wednesday, RJD MLA Mukesh Raushan raised the issue in the assembly, proposing the award for Lalu Prasad Yadav. Additionally, Jan Suraj leader Prashant Kishor has called for the Bharat Ratna to be conferred on Bihar’s first CM, Shrikrishna Singh.

Decoding ‘cross the line’ remark

In Madhya Pradesh, state minister Pradhuman Singh Tomar, a close associate of Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia since their Congress days, recently shared a stage with Scindia in Gwalior. During his speech, Tomar urged Scindia to take responsibility for Gwalior, highlighting that the city is now falling behind others in MP, unlike in the past when it was the leading city. Tomar even went as far as to suggest that Scindia should be willing to "cross the line" if necessary. His remark has left many in MP speculating about its true meaning and what Tomar intended by urging Scindia to take bolder steps.