The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday swept the Haryana civic polls, with its mayoral candidates winning Ambala, Gurugram, Hisar, Karnal, Rohtak, Faridabad, Yamunanagar, Panipat, and Sonipat municipal corporations.

The main Opposition Congress bit the dust even in Rohtak, the stronghold of Bhupinder Hooda.

The Congress, which contested the state civic polls on its symbol for the first time, failed to open its account.

In Manesar, independent candidate Inderjit Yadav defeated BJP's Sundar Lal by 2,235 votes.

Fulfilling the ruling BJP’s flagship Assembly election promise, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday approved a scheme for providing Rs 2,500 monthly financial assistance to eligible women under Mahila Samriddhi Yojana and allocated Rs 5,100 crore for this financial year.

The scheme was approved by a Cabinet meeting chaired by CM Gupta and announced by BJP National President J.P. Nadda at an event to mark International Women’s Day at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

“I congratulate PM Modi and CM Rekha Gupta that before coming to this event her Cabinet approved the Rs 2,500 per month Mahila Samriddhi Yojana for women in Delhi,” he said.

MP Raghav Chadha was selected as a Young Global Leader (YGL) by the World Economic Forum (WEF) from across the globe, a distinction awarded to exceptional individuals under 40 who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and a commitment to shaping a better future. Among the YGLs, a select few are chosen for the Global Leadership and Public Policy for the 21st Century program at Harvard Kennedy School, the world’s leading institution for public policy. This exclusive program, taking place in Boston, Cambridge from March 5 to 13, 2025, brings together top politicians, policymakers, executives, and thought leaders for an intensive learning experience focused on global governance, leadership, and policy innovation.

Delhi Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Parvesh Verma on Wednesday conducted an inspection of cleanliness efforts at several Yamuna ghats across the national capital, covering areas from Signature Bridge, ITO, and Chhath ghat to Okhla Barrage.

Verma took a boat from the Boat Club to Chhath ghat. He also interacted with officials overseeing the cleaning operations and reviewed progress on various sites.

After assuming office on February 25, the 48-year-old Jat leader vowed to restore the Yamuna as a symbol of Delhi's identity, aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for a cleaner river.

Senior Aam Aadmi Party leader Baltej Pannu made a powerful statement, alleging that deliberate efforts are being made to derail the Punjab Government’s war against drugs, "Yudh Nashian Virudh". In his remarks, Pannu outlined the proactive measures taken by the Mann Government to combat the drug menace and expressed concern over recent developments that appear to be aimed at distracting attention from this critical fight.

“Punjab, which has long suffered due to the negligence and failures of previous governments, is now witnessing a professional and well-prepared campaign against drugs under the leadership of the Mann Government. Every police station has been upgraded, whether in terms of vehicles, buildings, or internet facilities. This comprehensive strategy has resulted in a massive crackdown on drug suppliers over the last few days. The fear created among these criminals is being felt not just in Punjab but across the country,” Pannu asserted.

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday granted bail to Olympian wrestler Sushil Kumar, the prime accused in the murder case of junior national wrestling champion Sagar Dhankar.

As per the bail order passed by a bench of Justice Sanjeev Narula, the murder-accused wrestler will be required to furnish a bail bond of Rs 50,000 and two sureties of like amount.

Sushil Kumar, along with others, is accused of allegedly assaulting former junior national wrestling champion Dhankar, a resident of Haryana's Rohtak, and his two friends Sonu and Amit Kumar in the parking lot of the city's Chhatrasal stadium, on May 4, 2021, over an alleged property dispute. He has been in judicial custody since June 2, 2021. He was earlier granted interim bail, for performing the last rites of his father and for undertaking surgery for his torn ligament.

As a token of some relief to commoners, the Chhattisgarh government slashed Value Added Tax (VAT) on Petrol by Rs 1 per litre. State Finance Minister O.P. Choudhary made the announcement while presenting the state Budget 2025-26 in the Assembly on Monday.

The cut in petrol prices will be effective from April in the state.

The Finance Minister also announced the creation of 3200 Bastar fighters' posts. Bastar fighters combat with Maoists in the state.

Among other announcements, the Finance Minister said that for the first time, a provision has been made in the budget for the procurement of pulses and oil seeds under the PSS Scheme of the Government of India.

The Minister said his government is aiming to provide proper support to tribal art and craft through a proper platform in Chhattisgarh. And the government will establish a National Institute of Fashion Technology in the state.

During Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha’s address in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Monday, the lone Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) MLA, Sheikh Khursheed Ahmad, staged a protest in the central hall.

As the Lt. Governor started delivering his address, holding a placard, AIP MLA Sheikh Khursheed vocally opposed several policies of the administration and demanded justice for the victims of recent killings in Baramulla and Kathua.

He also demanded the restoration of Articles 370 and 35A, arguing that their abrogation had stripped Jammu and Kashmir of its special status and rights.

Ahmad called for the release of all political prisoners and said that detaining leaders, activists and youth without trial was undemocratic.

He also sought justice for the families of two men killed in Baramulla and Kathua, urging the administration to conduct a fair probe and provide compensation to the victims’ families.

The Nitish Kumar government is set to present the Bihar Budget 2025-26 on Monday, with Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Samrat Choudhary tabling it in the Assembly.

This will be the government's last budget before the upcoming Assembly elections in Bihar.

The state government is likely to focus on key voter groups: women, farmers, and youth and is expected to include special schemes targeting rural areas, the unemployed, and the economically weaker sections. New programmes for self-help groups, subsidies for entrepreneurs, direct benefit transfers, special incentives for irrigation, crop insurance, input subsidies, subsidies for industrial investment to address rising unemployment, expansion of rural roads, housing projects, and electrification would be the key highlights of this budget.

The Nitish Kumar government is expected to give special focus on education and youth to increase scholarships, skill development programmes, and job-oriented training.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab today launched a scathing attack on the Akali Dal-BJP and Congress regimes for decades of negligence in tackling Punjab’s drug problem and for providing patronage to drug traffickers. Addressing the media, AAP MP Malvinder Singh Kang, Batala MLA and AAP Punjab Working President Sharry Kalsi, and youth leader Sonia Mann, who recently joined AAP, highlighted the deliberate failures of previous governments and AAP's commitment to a drug-free Punjab.

Malvinder Singh Kang accused the Akali Dal-BJP alliance and Congress governments of playing a pivotal role in allowing the drug menace to spread across Punjab. "The Akali-BJP regime from 2007 onwards institutionalized the drug trade, with several top leaders shielding traffickers. Instead of providing jobs for Punjab's youth, they provided them with drugs, ensuring their destruction," Kang said.

He also called out the Congress party, especially Captain Amarinder Singh’s government, for its failure to deliver on promises. “Captain Amarinder vowed to end the drug menace in four months. His government not only failed but actively contributed to the deepening crisis. Punjab saw no relief during the Congress regime,” Kang added.