Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

Delhi leader Kejriwal defies slaps and shoes to step up election fight

He has been smeared with chilli powder and slapped, but Delhi's chief minister will still be leading the fight against prime minister Narendra Modi in Sunday's penultimate round of the Indian election.

Fifty-nine seats are up for grabs across the country on the sixth voting day of the marathon ballot.


The tussle for the capital will be front and centre, with all eyes on its chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, whose Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) -- or Common Man party -- was formed just seven years ago amid outrage over corruption.

It has since taken control of Delhi's regional government and is fighting to add to its four seats in India's lower house of parliament.

Modi's right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will be trying to stave off the onslaught and keep the seven seats it currently holds.

Kejriwal, a tax commissioner-turned-campaigner, has suffered more than most in India's notoriously rough and tumble political bullring.

Since 2013 and his first term as Delhi chief minister, the 50-year-old has been the target of at least seven attacks.

Ink has been thrown at him twice, with eggs also hurled on one of those occasions. In 2016, a shoe was thrown while Kejriwal made an announcement, a rickshaw driver hit him and his car was attacked by a mob with iron rods.

In November a man smeared chili powder on his face inside the Delhi government building. His latest brush with danger was last week when a man mounted the open top car Kejriwal was campaigning in and slapped him.

That attack has become a new political battle, with AAP deputy leader Manish Sisodia saying BJP rivals may have wanted Kejriwal murdered.

Modi's party questioned whether the chief minister organised it all himself.

Kejriwal, whose party has 67 of 70 state assembly seats, said in recent interviews that one month ago he thought his party faced a "tough fight" in Delhi but now he hopes to take all seven parliament seats.

"Our only aim is to stop Modi and BJP president Amit Shah from coming back to power. We will support anyone other than that duo," he told Press Trust of India news agency.

-Creating anarchy-

With the opposition Congress party also in the contest, the anti-BJP vote could be divided. Still, the ruling party faces an increasingly tough battle in the election, observers say.

The BJP won 282 seats in 2014 but some analysts predict it will suffer major losses when the final results are announced on May 23.

Congress won 44 seats in that election, an historic low since independence in 1947.

The AAP is also looking for a major boost and Modi has stepped up verbal attacks on Kejriwal in recent rallies, accusing him of "creating anarchy" in the capital.

Voting will be held in seven states on Sunday. West Bengal is drafting in tens of thousands of extra security forces to prevent a repeat of violence during earlier rounds of voting.

At least one of the state's constituencies is in an area prone to attacks by Maoist rebels.

Scandal has also swirled, with West Bengal police detaining a BJP activist after sending a Facebook post with the head of state chief minister Mamata Banerjee superimposed on an actress wearing a see-through dress.

The arrest under India's Information Technology act caused widespread social media protests.

The BJP and Banerjee's Trinamool Congress party are in a fierce struggle for votes in the state.

The seventh and final round of voting is on May 19 with the count to be held four days later.

More For You

Southport

Floral tributes left by members of the public are seen following the fatal knife attack on three young girls in July in Southport.

Reuters

Public inquiry begins into Southport girls' murders

A PUBLIC inquiry begins on Tuesday into the murders of three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance event in Southport last year.

The inquiry will examine whether the attack could have been prevented and how future incidents might be avoided.

Keep ReadingShow less
Starmer-Getty

Starmer is facing a Labour backbench revolt over plans to reform special needs support in schools without guaranteeing existing legal rights. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images)

Starmer faces Labour pushback over SEND reform plans

KEIR STARMER is facing a backlash from Labour MPs over plans to reform special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) support, after ministers stopped short of guaranteeing legal rights for parents.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said the government was committed to reforming the current system, which costs £12 billion a year. However, she did not confirm if legally enforceable rights, such as those provided by education, health and care plans (EHCPs), would remain.

Keep ReadingShow less
Heavy rain and thunderstorms hit London

Londoners faced a wet and stormy start to the week

iStock

Heavy rain and thunderstorms hit London before 30°C heatwave

Key points

  • Heavy rain and thunderstorms drench London at the start of the week
  • Temperatures set to rise with highs of 31°C expected by Thursday
  • Heatwave could be declared by Friday if warm conditions persist
  • Night-time temperatures to remain high, increasing discomfort
  • UV and pollen levels forecast to be very high across the south

Thunderstorms soak London before summer heat returns

Londoners faced a wet and stormy start to the week as heavy rain and overnight thunderstorms swept through the capital. Monday morning saw widespread downpours, leaving commuters reaching for umbrellas and Wimbledon ticket hopefuls queuing in ponchos.

The unsettled conditions followed a burst of thunderstorms on Sunday afternoon and continued into the early hours of Monday, prompting caution across the city. The Met Office has not issued a formal weather warning for thunderstorms, but conditions remain unstable.

Keep ReadingShow less
National Trust sets vision to heal
nature and engage more Asians

Lisa Nandy, Steve Reed, René Olivieri and Hilary McGrady at a National Trust event marking its 130th anniversary

National Trust sets vision to heal nature and engage more Asians

THE National Trust, which is seeking to broaden its appeal to British Asians, is marking its 130th anniversary with a renewed commitment to restoring nature and widening access under a 10-year strategy.

Its director-general, Hilary McGrady, also aims to inspire more people to get involved in caring for the country’s natural resources.

Keep ReadingShow less
 7/7 bombings

The King said the public should draw on the 'extraordinary courage and compassion' shown in response to the attacks. (Photo credit: X/@RoyalFamily)

Starmer and King Charles pay tribute on 20th anniversary of 7/7 bombings

PRIME MINISTER Keir Starmer and King Charles on Monday paid tribute to the unity shown in the aftermath of the 7 July bombings in London, as the country marked 20 years since the attacks.

On 7 July 2005, four Islamist extremists carried out suicide bombings at Aldgate Station, Edgware Road, King's Cross and Tavistock Square. The attacks killed 52 people and injured hundreds more.

Keep ReadingShow less