The Election Commission of India (ECI) published data regarding political donations through electoral bonds on its website late Thursday (Mar 14). The data, furnished after an order by India’s Supreme Court, revealed the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was the biggest beneficiary of the now-banned scheme having received INR 6,000 crore ($732 million) over the last five years.

The ECI sourced the data from the State Bank of India (SBI), encompassing bonds totalling INR 16,518 crore ($1.9 billion).

Prominent Indian industrialists and companies, like steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal, Airtel's Sunil Bharti Mittal, Vedanta, ITC, and Mahindra and Mahindra featured on the list of buyers of the electoral bonds.

The apex court last month struck down the opaque political funding regime, calling it ‘illegal and unconstitutional.’ The BJP introduced the scheme&nbsp;in 2017, terming it a crucial milestone in the fight against ‘black money’ in Indian elections.

<h2>Top beneficiaries of the scheme</h2>

According to the ECI data, the BJP emerged as the top beneficiary, followed by All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), which received INR 1,609.50 crore ($192 million) via electoral bonds. India’s main opposition Congress party occupied the third spot, with funding totalling INR 1421 crore ($171 million).

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The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), Biju Janata Dal (BJD), and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) also encashed electoral bonds worth more than INR 500 crore each ($60 million) during the specified period. Other parties that redeemed electoral bonds include AIADMK, Shiv Sena, TDP, YSR Congress, JDS, NCP, JDU, RJD, AAP, and the Samajwadi Party, according to the data.

<h2>Top buyers of electoral bonds</h2>

Here is the list of top buyers of the electoral bonds.

Future Gaming and Hotel Services - Rs 1,368 crore

Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Ltd - Rs 966 crore

Qwik Supply Chain Private Ltd - Rs 410 crore

Vedanta Ltd - Rs 400 crore

Haldia Energy Ltd - Rs 377 crore

Bharati Group - Rs 247 crore

Essel Mining and Industries Ltd - Rs 224 crore

Western UP Power Transmission - Rs 220 crore

Keventer Foodpark Infra Ltd - Rs 194 crore

Madanlal Ltd - Rs 185 crore

DLF Group - Rs 170 crore

Yashoda Super Speciality Hospital - Rs 162 crore

Utkal Alumina International - Rs 145.3 crore

Jindal Steel and Power Ltd - Rs 123 crore

Birla Carbon India - Rs 105 crore

Rungta Sons - Rs 100 crore

Dr Reddy's - Rs 80 crore

Piramal Enterprises Group - Rs 60 crore

Navyuga Engineering - Rs 55 crore

Shirdi Sai Electricals - Rs 40 crore

Edelweiss Group - Rs 40 crore

Cipla Ltd - Rs 39.2 crore

Lakshmi Niwas Mittal - Rs 35 crore

Grasim Industries -Rs 33 crore

Jindal Stainless - Rs 30 crore

Bajaj Auto -Rs 25 crore

Sun Pharma Laboratories - Rs 25 crore

Mankind Pharma - Rs 24 crore

Bajaj Finance - Rs 20 crore

Maruti Suzuki India - Rs 20 crore

Ultratech - Rs 15 crore

TVS Motors - Rs 10 crore.

The SBI revealed that a total of 22,217 electoral bonds were bought between April 1, 2019, and February 15, 2024, with most being redeemed by political parties.

<h2>Concerns raised by opposition</h2>

Controversies erupted soon after the ECI made the data public. India's main opposition Congress party alleged a discrepancy in the number of entries in donor and recipient files.

Congress leader Amitabh Dubey on Thursday said, "The donors' file has 18,871 entries, the recipients' file has 20,421 entries. Why the discrepancy."

He also inquired about the missing data between 2017 and 2019. The leader asked why the data shared period from April 2019 even though the scheme was introduced in 2017.

(With inputs from agencies)

The Election Commission of India (ECI) published data regarding political donations through electoral bonds on its website late Thursday (Mar 14). The data, furnished after an order by India’s Supreme Court, revealed the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was the biggest beneficiary of the now-banned scheme having received INR 6,000 crore ($732 million) over the last five years.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) published data regarding political donations through electoral bonds on its website late Thursday (Mar 14). The data, furnished after an order by India’s Supreme Court, revealed the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was the biggest beneficiary of the now-banned scheme having received INR 6,000 crore ($732 million) over the last five years. The ECI sourced the data from the State Bank of India (SBI), encompassing bonds totalling INR 16,518 crore ($1.9 billion). Prominent Indian industrialists and companies, like steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal, Airtel's Sunil Bharti Mittal, Vedanta, ITC, and Mahindra and Mahindra featured on the list of buyers of the electoral bonds. The apex court last month struck down the opaque political funding regime, calling it ‘illegal and unconstitutional.’ The BJP introduced the scheme in 2017, terming it a crucial milestone in the fight against ‘black money’ in Indian elections. Top beneficiaries of the scheme According to the ECI data, the BJP emerged as the top beneficiary, followed by All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), which received INR 1,609.50 crore ($192 million) via electoral bonds. India’s main opposition Congress party occupied the third spot, with funding totalling INR 1421 crore ($171 million). Also read: India: Election Commission publishes electoral bonds data on its website following Supreme Court order The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), Biju Janata Dal (BJD), and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) also encashed electoral bonds worth more than INR 500 crore each ($60 million) during the specified period. Other parties that redeemed electoral bonds include AIADMK, Shiv Sena, TDP, YSR Congress, JDS, NCP, JDU, RJD, AAP, and the Samajwadi Party, according to the data. Top buyers of electoral bonds Here is the list of top buyers of the electoral bonds. Future Gaming and Hotel Services - Rs 1,368 crore Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Ltd - Rs 966 crore Qwik Supply Chain Private Ltd - Rs 410 crore Vedanta Ltd - Rs 400 crore Haldia Energy Ltd - Rs 377 crore Bharati Group - Rs 247 crore Essel Mining and Industries Ltd - Rs 224 crore Western UP Power Transmission - Rs 220 crore Keventer Foodpark Infra Ltd - Rs 194 crore Madanlal Ltd - Rs 185 crore DLF Group - Rs 170 crore Yashoda Super Speciality Hospital - Rs 162 crore Utkal Alumina International - Rs 145.3 crore Jindal Steel and Power Ltd - Rs 123 crore Birla Carbon India - Rs 105 crore Rungta Sons - Rs 100 crore Dr Reddy's - Rs 80 crore Piramal Enterprises Group - Rs 60 crore Navyuga Engineering - Rs 55 crore Shirdi Sai Electricals - Rs 40 crore Edelweiss Group - Rs 40 crore Cipla Ltd - Rs 39.2 crore Lakshmi Niwas Mittal - Rs 35 crore Grasim Industries -Rs 33 crore Jindal Stainless - Rs 30 crore Bajaj Auto -Rs 25 crore Sun Pharma Laboratories - Rs 25 crore Mankind Pharma - Rs 24 crore Bajaj Finance - Rs 20 crore Maruti Suzuki India - Rs 20 crore Ultratech - Rs 15 crore TVS Motors - Rs 10 crore. The SBI revealed that a total of 22,217 electoral bonds were bought between April 1, 2019, and February 15, 2024, with most being redeemed by political parties. Concerns raised by opposition Controversies erupted soon after the ECI made the data public. India's main opposition Congress party alleged a discrepancy in the number of entries in donor and recipient files. Congress leader Amitabh Dubey on Thursday said, "The donors' file has 18,871 entries, the recipients' file has 20,421 entries. Why the discrepancy." He also inquired about the missing data between 2017 and 2019. The leader asked why the data shared period from April 2019 even though the scheme was introduced in 2017. (With inputs from agencies)

Electoral bonds data: Who got how much? List of top buyers, beneficiaries of now-banned funding tool

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BJP's Nayab Singh Saini, 54, was sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Haryana at a hurriedly-arranged ceremony in Chandigarh Tuesday evening, just hours after&nbsp;Manohar Lal Khattar, and the entire cabinet submitted their resignation.&nbsp;

Saini is seen as a confidante of the 69-year-old ML Khattar.

Earlier, Saini was elected as the BJP legislature party leader in Haryana setting the stage for him to take on the chief minister's responsibilities, succeeding Khattar, who submitted his resignation to Governor Bandaru Dattatreya.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-elections-haryana-cm-ml-khattar-resigns-as-bjp-jjp-head-for-a-split-699229">India Elections 2024: Haryana CM ML Khattar resigns</a>

Biplab Deb, BJP Haryana-in-charge, extended congratulations to Nayab Singh Saini in a post on X, expressing confidence that Saini would continue the developmental initiatives in Haryana initiated under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's guidance and Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar's leadership.

Manohar Lal Khattar resigned amid apparent fissures in the BJP-Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) ruling coalition. He submitted his resignation to Governor Bandaru Dattatreya ahead of the BJP's legislature party meeting.

A central BJP team, led by Union Minister Arjun Munda and former Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, oversaw the changes in the state.

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The relationship between BJP and JJP deteriorated due to the failure to reach a seat-sharing agreement for the Lok Sabha polls. Despite JJP snapping ties, the BJP claims to have the majority with 41 MLAs in the 90-member House, along with the support of six independents.

The opposition Congress holds 30 MLAs, while the Indian National Lok Dal and the Haryana Lokhit Party each have one seat.

<h2>Who is Nayab Singh Saini?</h2>

Nayab Singh Saini, a Lok Sabha MP from the Kurukshetra constituency hails from the OBC community, and had assumed the role of Haryana BJP state president in October last year.

His journey in the BJP began in 1996, progressing through various roles within the party's organisational framework.

Due to his unwavering commitment to the party, he assumed several prominent roles, such as serving as the state general secretary of the BJP Kisan Morcha in Haryana in 2009 and holding the position of district president of Ambala BJP in 2012.

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His political trajectory reached new heights when he secured victory as a Member of the Legislative Assembly from the Narayangarh constituency in 2014. Subsequently, in 2016, he was appointed as a minister in the Haryana government, marking a pivotal moment in his political career.

Known as a confidante of Manohar Lal Khattar, Saini's elevation to the post of Haryana BJP chief and the chief minister now appears to be influenced by electoral and caste considerations, given his significant support in Haryana's various districts.

(With inputs from agencies)

BJP's Nayab Singh Saini, 54, was sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Haryana at a hurriedly-arranged ceremony in Chandigarh Tuesday evening, just hours after Manohar Lal Khattar, and the entire cabinet submitted their resignation.

BJP's Nayab Singh Saini, 54, was sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Haryana at a hurriedly-arranged ceremony in Chandigarh Tuesday evening, just hours after Manohar Lal Khattar, and the entire cabinet submitted their resignation. Saini is seen as a confidante of the 69-year-old ML Khattar. Earlier, Saini was elected as the BJP legislature party leader in Haryana setting the stage for him to take on the chief minister's responsibilities, succeeding Khattar, who submitted his resignation to Governor Bandaru Dattatreya. Also read: India Elections 2024: Haryana CM ML Khattar resigns Biplab Deb, BJP Haryana-in-charge, extended congratulations to Nayab Singh Saini in a post on X, expressing confidence that Saini would continue the developmental initiatives in Haryana initiated under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's guidance and Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar's leadership. Manohar Lal Khattar resigned amid apparent fissures in the BJP-Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) ruling coalition. He submitted his resignation to Governor Bandaru Dattatreya ahead of the BJP's legislature party meeting. A central BJP team, led by Union Minister Arjun Munda and former Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, oversaw the changes in the state. Also Read: India Elections 2024: BJP finalises Andhra seat pact with Chandrababu and Pawan Kalyan's parties The relationship between BJP and JJP deteriorated due to the failure to reach a seat-sharing agreement for the Lok Sabha polls. Despite JJP snapping ties, the BJP claims to have the majority with 41 MLAs in the 90-member House, along with the support of six independents. The opposition Congress holds 30 MLAs, while the Indian National Lok Dal and the Haryana Lokhit Party each have one seat. Who is Nayab Singh Saini? Nayab Singh Saini, a Lok Sabha MP from the Kurukshetra constituency hails from the OBC community, and had assumed the role of Haryana BJP state president in October last year. His journey in the BJP began in 1996, progressing through various roles within the party's organisational framework. Due to his unwavering commitment to the party, he assumed several prominent roles, such as serving as the state general secretary of the BJP Kisan Morcha in Haryana in 2009 and holding the position of district president of Ambala BJP in 2012. Also read: Opposition calls for state-wide shutdown in India’s Assam against Citizenship Amendment Act His political trajectory reached new heights when he secured victory as a Member of the Legislative Assembly from the Narayangarh constituency in 2014. Subsequently, in 2016, he was appointed as a minister in the Haryana government, marking a pivotal moment in his political career. Known as a confidante of Manohar Lal Khattar, Saini's elevation to the post of Haryana BJP chief and the chief minister now appears to be influenced by electoral and caste considerations, given his significant support in Haryana's various districts. (With inputs from agencies)

Who is Nayab Singh Saini, Haryana’s new chief minister?

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and his entire cabinet submitted their resignations to Governor Bandaru Dattatreya on Tuesday (Mar 12) as the north Indian state's coalition partners BJP and JJP headed for a split ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. 
 
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) later held&nbsp;a meeting&nbsp;and appointed its State BJP chief Nayab Singh&nbsp;Saini as legislature group leader.&nbsp;Saini also met Governor Dattatraya and staked claimed to form the new government and&nbsp;will take oath as the new chief minister&nbsp;at 5 pm.

Confirming Saini's appointment, State BJP MLA Krishan Lal Middha said, “Nayab Singh Saini to be next CM of Haryana. All people are now going to meet the Governor...nothing has been discussed about Deputy Chief Minister."

Saini, an influential figure in the OBC community, is BJP's Lok Sabha MP from Kurukshetra and was appointed the state party president in October last year. 
 
There were reports that BJP also wanted to effect a change at the helm&nbsp;to ward off anti-incumbency&nbsp;ahead of the assembly elections. Besides, since Saini is seen as an OBC leader,&nbsp;the BJP wants to keep the caste equations right as the party heads for&nbsp;the general elections.

As per reports, the coalition partners BJP and JJP failed to reach any seat-sharing arrangements for the general elections. The local media also reported that Khattar is also likely to contest Lok Sabha elections from Karnal or Kurukshetra.

The ruling BJP&nbsp;has 41 seats in Haryana's 90-member assembly which makes it the single-largest party in the state.

A new government is likely to be formed by BJP with support from independent MLAs.&nbsp;BJP is claiming that besides its 41 MLAs, five independents will back it, just enough to cross the half-way mark of 45 seats.

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The BJP became the ruling party in the state after entering a post-election alliance with leader Dushyant Chautala's Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), which currently has 10 MLAs. JJP had entered into a post-poll alliance with BJP when the latter fell short of majority after the 2019 assembly elections.&nbsp;The BJP had won all 10 Lok Sabha seats in the state in the 2019 elections.&nbsp; 
 
Talks for seat sharing in the Lok Sabha elections broke down after&nbsp;BJP did not yield to JJP’s demand for two out of 10 Lok Sabha seats in the state. The BJP was offering just one seat to JJP. 
 
Amid the stalemate,&nbsp;Dushyant Chautala met BJP&nbsp;national president JP Nadda in capital New Delhi on Monday and reportedly told him JJP will not share seats with BJP in the Lok Sabha.

Earlier, independent MLA Nayan Pal Rawat said that he kind of got&nbsp;a hint that the alliance was falling&nbsp;apart.&nbsp;

"I met the chief minister yesterday. We have already extended our support to the Manohar Lal Khattar-led government. We also discussed the strategy for the Lok Sabha elections. I got the impression that the process of breaking the alliance with JJP has already started," Rawat was quoted as saying by ANI news agency.

Watch:&nbsp;India Elections 2024: Supreme Court rejects SBI's plea for extension on electoral bonds

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<h2>Khattar to contest Lok Sabha elections?</h2>

The resignation of Khattar came amid reports that he might contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from the Karnal seat, which is currently held by BJP leader Sanjay Bhatia, or Kurukshetra from where Saini is the MP.&nbsp;Both BJP and JJP's (Jannayak Janata Party) top leadership have called emergency meetings of their MLAs. &nbsp;

Khattar held a meeting with all BJP ministers at his residence earlier. Central BJP leaders, including&nbsp;Union minister Arjun Munda and former Tripura chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb are in Haryana currently.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and his entire cabinet submitted their resignations to Governor Bandaru Dattatreya on Tuesday (Mar 12) as the north Indian state's coalition partners BJP and JJP headed for a split ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and his entire cabinet submitted their resignations to Governor Bandaru Dattatreya on Tuesday (Mar 12) as the north Indian state's coalition partners BJP and JJP headed for a split ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) later held a meeting and appointed its State BJP chief Nayab Singh Saini as legislature group leader. Saini also met Governor Dattatraya and staked claimed to form the new government and will take oath as the new chief minister at 5 pm. Confirming Saini's appointment, State BJP MLA Krishan Lal Middha said, “Nayab Singh Saini to be next CM of Haryana. All people are now going to meet the Governor...nothing has been discussed about Deputy Chief Minister." Saini, an influential figure in the OBC community, is BJP's Lok Sabha MP from Kurukshetra and was appointed the state party president in October last year. There were reports that BJP also wanted to effect a change at the helm to ward off anti-incumbency ahead of the assembly elections. Besides, since Saini is seen as an OBC leader, the BJP wants to keep the caste equations right as the party heads for the general elections. As per reports, the coalition partners BJP and JJP failed to reach any seat-sharing arrangements for the general elections. The local media also reported that Khattar is also likely to contest Lok Sabha elections from Karnal or Kurukshetra. The ruling BJP has 41 seats in Haryana's 90-member assembly which makes it the single-largest party in the state. A new government is likely to be formed by BJP with support from independent MLAs. BJP is claiming that besides its 41 MLAs, five independents will back it, just enough to cross the half-way mark of 45 seats. Also Read: India Elections 2024: BJP finalises Andhra seat pact with Chandrababu and Pawan Kalyan's parties The BJP became the ruling party in the state after entering a post-election alliance with leader Dushyant Chautala's Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), which currently has 10 MLAs. JJP had entered into a post-poll alliance with BJP when the latter fell short of majority after the 2019 assembly elections. The BJP had won all 10 Lok Sabha seats in the state in the 2019 elections. Talks for seat sharing in the Lok Sabha elections broke down after BJP did not yield to JJP’s demand for two out of 10 Lok Sabha seats in the state. The BJP was offering just one seat to JJP. Amid the stalemate, Dushyant Chautala met BJP national president JP Nadda in capital New Delhi on Monday and reportedly told him JJP will not share seats with BJP in the Lok Sabha. Earlier, independent MLA Nayan Pal Rawat said that he kind of got a hint that the alliance was falling apart. "I met the chief minister yesterday. We have already extended our support to the Manohar Lal Khattar-led government. We also discussed the strategy for the Lok Sabha elections. I got the impression that the process of breaking the alliance with JJP has already started," Rawat was quoted as saying by ANI news agency. Watch: India Elections 2024: Supreme Court rejects SBI's plea for extension on electoral bonds Khattar to contest Lok Sabha elections? The resignation of Khattar came amid reports that he might contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from the Karnal seat, which is currently held by BJP leader Sanjay Bhatia, or Kurukshetra from where Saini is the MP. Both BJP and JJP's (Jannayak Janata Party) top leadership have called emergency meetings of their MLAs. Khattar held a meeting with all BJP ministers at his residence earlier. Central BJP leaders, including Union minister Arjun Munda and former Tripura chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb are in Haryana currently. (With inputs from agencies)

India Elections 2024: Haryana CM ML Khattar resigns, Nayab Singh Saini to take oath as new CM

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The negotiations between the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the ruling party of Odisha state, for a pre-poll alliance collapsed after disagreements emerged over seat sharing.

The stand-off erupted after both parties failed to resolve differences over two seats—Bhubaneswar and Puri.

The BJP said it will focus on contesting the polls in the state alone. BJP State President Manmohan Samal said, "We had gone to Delhi to hold discussions with the central leaders on our preparations for the upcoming Lok Sabha and assembly elections in the state. No talks on alliance or seat-sharing with any party were held during the meeting. The BJP will contest the twin polls on its own strength."

<h2>Disagreement over seat sharing</h2>

Both BJP and BJP agreed to the idea of securing a pre-poll alliance but they failed to reach an agreement over seat-sharing.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The BJD wanted to contest over 100 seats in the 147-member Odisha Assembly, an offer that the BJP rejected vehemently. On the other hand, the BJP sought 14 out of the 21 Lok Sabha seats in Odisha, a proposition that the BJD rejected. In the 2019 general elections, the BJD had secured 12 seats, while the BJP won eight out of the total 21.

Watch:&nbsp;Indian elections 2024: Congress releases first list of candidates

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It must be noted that the BJD was a part of the BJP-backed National Democratic Alliance (NDA) before it parted ways in 2009 following failed seat-sharing talks.

<h2>Big jolt to Congress in MP</h2>

Meanwhile, India’s biggest opposition party Congress suffered a major blow in Madhya Pradesh state on Saturday (Mar 9) as former union minister and Congress leader Suresh Pachouri and former MP Gajendra Singh Rajukhedi joined the BJP.

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Several other leaders who were expected to join BJP are former MLAs Sanjay Shukla, Vishal Patel, former MLA from Piparia Arjun Palia, and former state NSUI president Atul Sharma.

The exodus from Congress comes ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in which more than 950 million people would vote to fill the lower house of the Indian Parliament.

(With inputs from agencies)

The negotiations between the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the ruling party of Odisha state, for a pre-poll alliance collapsed after disagreements emerged over seat sharing.

The negotiations between the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the ruling party of Odisha state, for a pre-poll alliance collapsed after disagreements emerged over seat sharing. The stand-off erupted after both parties failed to resolve differences over two seats—Bhubaneswar and Puri. The BJP said it will focus on contesting the polls in the state alone. BJP State President Manmohan Samal said, "We had gone to Delhi to hold discussions with the central leaders on our preparations for the upcoming Lok Sabha and assembly elections in the state. No talks on alliance or seat-sharing with any party were held during the meeting. The BJP will contest the twin polls on its own strength." Disagreement over seat sharing Both BJP and BJP agreed to the idea of securing a pre-poll alliance but they failed to reach an agreement over seat-sharing. The BJD wanted to contest over 100 seats in the 147-member Odisha Assembly, an offer that the BJP rejected vehemently. On the other hand, the BJP sought 14 out of the 21 Lok Sabha seats in Odisha, a proposition that the BJD rejected. In the 2019 general elections, the BJD had secured 12 seats, while the BJP won eight out of the total 21. Watch: Indian elections 2024: Congress releases first list of candidates × It must be noted that the BJD was a part of the BJP-backed National Democratic Alliance (NDA) before it parted ways in 2009 following failed seat-sharing talks. Big jolt to Congress in MP Meanwhile, India’s biggest opposition party Congress suffered a major blow in Madhya Pradesh state on Saturday (Mar 9) as former union minister and Congress leader Suresh Pachouri and former MP Gajendra Singh Rajukhedi joined the BJP. Also read: Battle of the Bastions: What Akhilesh is doing to make a Yadav win in Samajwadi Party strongholds Several other leaders who were expected to join BJP are former MLAs Sanjay Shukla, Vishal Patel, former MLA from Piparia Arjun Palia, and former state NSUI president Atul Sharma. The exodus from Congress comes ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in which more than 950 million people would vote to fill the lower house of the Indian Parliament. (With inputs from agencies)

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India's former health minister Harsh Vardhan on Sunday (March 3) announced his decision to quit politics. A doctor by profession, Vardhan said&nbsp;his clinic awaits his return.

The development comes after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday (Mar 2) announced its first list of 195 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The ruling party dropped four sitting MPs - Harsh Vardhan, Parvesh Verma, Ramesh Bidhuri and Meenakshi Lekhi in Delhi, choosing new faces.

In a long farewell message that he shared on his official X handle, Vardhan said that he would go back to his "roots" and continue making efforts "against tobacco and substance abuse, against climate change and teaching simple and sustainable lifestyles."

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After over thirty years of a glorious electoral career, during which I won all the five assembly and two parliamentary elections that I fought with exemplary margins, and held a multitude of prestigious positions in the party organisation and the governments at the state and…
— Dr Harsh Vardhan (@drharshvardhan) <a href="https://twitter.com/drharshvardhan/status/1764196695426974120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 3, 2024</a></blockquote>
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"After over thirty years of a glorious electoral career, during which I won all the five assembly and two parliamentary elections that I fought with exemplary margins, and held a multitude of prestigious positions in the party organisation and the governments at the state and centre I finally bow out to return to my roots," he said.

"Service to mankind was my motto when I joined MBBS in GSVM Medical College, Kanpur fifty years back with a desire to help the poor and needy. A swayamsewak at heart, I have always been an ardent admirer of Deen Dayal Upadhyay ji's Antodaya philosophy of striving to serve the last man in the queue. It was at the insistence of the then RSS leadership that I jumped into the electoral fray. They could convince me only because for me politics meant opportunity to fight our three main enemies - poverty, disease and ignorance," he added.

The former minister's post added: "Without remorse, I must say that it has been a marvelous innings during which my passion to serve the common man was quenched. I served as Delhi Health Minister as well as twice Union Health Minister, a subject close to my heart. I had the rare opportunity bestowed upon me to be able to first work towards creating a Polio free Bharat and then to take care of the health of millions of our countrymen grappling with the dreaded COVID-19 during its first and second phases".

"In the long history of mankind, only a few have been granted the privilege to defend their people in hours of gravest danger! And I can proudly claim that I didn't shirk responsibility, but welcomed it. My gratitude to Ma Bharati, my reverence to my fellow citizens and my obeisance to the values enshrined in our Constitution. And yes, that was the biggest privilege that Bhagwan Shri Ram bestowed upon me, the privilege of being able to save human lives !!,"&nbsp;Harsh Vardhan said. 
&nbsp;

Watch: BJP finalises its first 195 candidates from 16 states for Lok Sabha Polls 2024 | BJP Candidate List

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&nbsp;

"I would like to thank all my party karyakartas, my fans and supporters amongst the common citizens as well as my party leaders .. all of whom have contributed to this remarkable journey spanning over three decades," he wrote.

"I must acknowledge that I consider it a great privilege to have worked closely with the most dynamic Prime Minister in India's history, Shri Narendra Modi ji. The country wishes him a heroic return to power again."

"I shall continue to pursue my work against tobacco and substance abuse, against climate change and teaching simple and sustainable lifestyles. A big shout out for all those who stood by me like a rock while I clocked many firsts and led a fulfilled political life," he wrote.

"I move on, I really can't wait. I have promises to keep .. and miles to go before I sleep !! I have a dream .. and I know your blessings shall always remain with me. My ENT clinic at Krishna Nagar too awaits my return," he said. &nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/lok-sabha-polls-2024-bjp-releases-first-list-of-195-candidates-pm-modi-to-contest-from-varanasi-695970">Also read:&nbsp;Lok Sabha polls 2024: BJP releases first list of 195 candidates, PM Modi to contest from Varanasi</a> 
 
The announcement soon drew appreciation from a bevy of political leaders and Twitterati who praised the popular leader for gracefully retiring from politics and for his dedication to serving humanity.

<h2>Jayant Sinha, Gautam Gambhir request BJP to relieve them from political duties</h2>

Earlier, BJP leader Jayant Sinha and former World Cup winner Gautam Gambhir requested the party to relieve them from political duties.

Sinha, stating that he wished to focus on efforts to combat climate change, requested party president JP Nadda to relieve him of "direct electoral duties".

Taking to his official social media handle he wrote, "I have requested Hon'ble Party President Shri @JPNadda ji to relieve me of my direct electoral duties so that I can focus my efforts on combating global climate change in Bharat and around the world. Of course, I will continue to work with the party on economic and governance issues. I have had the privilege of serving the people of Bharat and Hazaribagh for the past 10 years."

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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I have requested Hon’ble Party President Shri <a href="https://twitter.com/JPNadda?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JPNadda</a> ji to relieve me of my direct electoral duties so that I can focus my efforts on combating global climate change in Bharat and around the world. Of course, I will continue to work with the party on economic and governance…
— Jayant Sinha (@jayantsinha) <a href="https://twitter.com/jayantsinha/status/1763854032861327747?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2024</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Gambhir stated that he wanted to focus on his upcoming cricket commitments.

“I have requested Hon’ble Party President @JPNadda ji to relieve me of my political duties so that I can focus on my upcoming cricket commitments. I sincerely thank Hon’ble PM @narendramodi ji and Hon’ble HM @AmitShah ji for giving me the opportunity to serve the people. Jai Hind!,” Gambhir wrote on his official X handle. &nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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I have requested Hon’ble Party President <a href="https://twitter.com/JPNadda?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JPNadda</a> ji to relieve me of my political duties so that I can focus on my upcoming cricket commitments. I sincerely thank Hon’ble PM <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a> ji and Hon’ble HM <a href="https://twitter.com/AmitShah?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AmitShah</a> ji for giving me the opportunity to serve the people. Jai Hind!
— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) <a href="https://twitter.com/GautamGambhir/status/1763785102268772777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2024</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Some reports say that both the MPs were not very popular in their respective constituencies and the party had made it clear that the MPs who did not perform as per expectations would not be included in the list this time.

Which is why the move seems like a dignified exit for the leaders, the reports added.

(With inputs from agencies)

India's former health minister Harsh Vardhan on Sunday (March 3) announced his decision to quit politics. A doctor by profession, Vardhan said his clinic awaits his return.

India's former health minister Harsh Vardhan on Sunday (March 3) announced his decision to quit politics. A doctor by profession, Vardhan said his clinic awaits his return. The development comes after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday (Mar 2) announced its first list of 195 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The ruling party dropped four sitting MPs - Harsh Vardhan, Parvesh Verma, Ramesh Bidhuri and Meenakshi Lekhi in Delhi, choosing new faces. In a long farewell message that he shared on his official X handle, Vardhan said that he would go back to his "roots" and continue making efforts "against tobacco and substance abuse, against climate change and teaching simple and sustainable lifestyles." After over thirty years of a glorious electoral career, during which I won all the five assembly and two parliamentary elections that I fought with exemplary margins, and held a multitude of prestigious positions in the party organisation and the governments at the state and… — Dr Harsh Vardhan (@drharshvardhan) March 3, 2024 × "After over thirty years of a glorious electoral career, during which I won all the five assembly and two parliamentary elections that I fought with exemplary margins, and held a multitude of prestigious positions in the party organisation and the governments at the state and centre I finally bow out to return to my roots," he said. "Service to mankind was my motto when I joined MBBS in GSVM Medical College, Kanpur fifty years back with a desire to help the poor and needy. A swayamsewak at heart, I have always been an ardent admirer of Deen Dayal Upadhyay ji's Antodaya philosophy of striving to serve the last man in the queue. It was at the insistence of the then RSS leadership that I jumped into the electoral fray. They could convince me only because for me politics meant opportunity to fight our three main enemies - poverty, disease and ignorance," he added. The former minister's post added: "Without remorse, I must say that it has been a marvelous innings during which my passion to serve the common man was quenched. I served as Delhi Health Minister as well as twice Union Health Minister, a subject close to my heart. I had the rare opportunity bestowed upon me to be able to first work towards creating a Polio free Bharat and then to take care of the health of millions of our countrymen grappling with the dreaded COVID-19 during its first and second phases". "In the long history of mankind, only a few have been granted the privilege to defend their people in hours of gravest danger! And I can proudly claim that I didn't shirk responsibility, but welcomed it. My gratitude to Ma Bharati, my reverence to my fellow citizens and my obeisance to the values enshrined in our Constitution. And yes, that was the biggest privilege that Bhagwan Shri Ram bestowed upon me, the privilege of being able to save human lives !!," Harsh Vardhan said. Watch: BJP finalises its first 195 candidates from 16 states for Lok Sabha Polls 2024 | BJP Candidate List × "I would like to thank all my party karyakartas, my fans and supporters amongst the common citizens as well as my party leaders .. all of whom have contributed to this remarkable journey spanning over three decades," he wrote. "I must acknowledge that I consider it a great privilege to have worked closely with the most dynamic Prime Minister in India's history, Shri Narendra Modi ji. The country wishes him a heroic return to power again." "I shall continue to pursue my work against tobacco and substance abuse, against climate change and teaching simple and sustainable lifestyles. A big shout out for all those who stood by me like a rock while I clocked many firsts and led a fulfilled political life," he wrote. "I move on, I really can't wait. I have promises to keep .. and miles to go before I sleep !! I have a dream .. and I know your blessings shall always remain with me. My ENT clinic at Krishna Nagar too awaits my return," he said. Also read: Lok Sabha polls 2024: BJP releases first list of 195 candidates, PM Modi to contest from Varanasi The announcement soon drew appreciation from a bevy of political leaders and Twitterati who praised the popular leader for gracefully retiring from politics and for his dedication to serving humanity. Jayant Sinha, Gautam Gambhir request BJP to relieve them from political duties Earlier, BJP leader Jayant Sinha and former World Cup winner Gautam Gambhir requested the party to relieve them from political duties. Sinha, stating that he wished to focus on efforts to combat climate change, requested party president JP Nadda to relieve him of "direct electoral duties". Taking to his official social media handle he wrote, "I have requested Hon'ble Party President Shri @JPNadda ji to relieve me of my direct electoral duties so that I can focus my efforts on combating global climate change in Bharat and around the world. Of course, I will continue to work with the party on economic and governance issues. I have had the privilege of serving the people of Bharat and Hazaribagh for the past 10 years." I have requested Hon’ble Party President Shri @JPNadda ji to relieve me of my direct electoral duties so that I can focus my efforts on combating global climate change in Bharat and around the world. Of course, I will continue to work with the party on economic and governance… — Jayant Sinha (@jayantsinha) March 2, 2024 × Gambhir stated that he wanted to focus on his upcoming cricket commitments. “I have requested Hon’ble Party President @JPNadda ji to relieve me of my political duties so that I can focus on my upcoming cricket commitments. I sincerely thank Hon’ble PM @narendramodi ji and Hon’ble HM @AmitShah ji for giving me the opportunity to serve the people. Jai Hind!,” Gambhir wrote on his official X handle. I have requested Hon’ble Party President @JPNadda ji to relieve me of my political duties so that I can focus on my upcoming cricket commitments. I sincerely thank Hon’ble PM @narendramodi ji and Hon’ble HM @AmitShah ji for giving me the opportunity to serve the people. Jai Hind! — Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) March 2, 2024 × Some reports say that both the MPs were not very popular in their respective constituencies and the party had made it clear that the MPs who did not perform as per expectations would not be included in the list this time. Which is why the move seems like a dignified exit for the leaders, the reports added. (With inputs from agencies)

Lok Sabha polls 2024: Former health minister Harsh Vardhan quits politics, says ‘my clinic awaits my return’

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