3 Things

This is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.It’s the 10th of June and here are today's headlines.A day after Narendra Modi took oath as the Prime Minister along with his new Cabinet and Council of Ministers, he signed his first file authorising the release of around Rs 20,000 crore to about 9.3 crore farmers. Approving the 17th installment of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme, he said, quote, “Ours is a government fully committed to Kisan Kalyan. We want to keep working even more for the farmers and the agriculture sector in the times to come.” Unquote. Meanwhile, all eyes are now on who gets what in NDA 3.0. The new portfolios are likely to be announced today prior to the new Cabinet’s first meeting this evening.Former Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna Monday has been remanded to 14 days in judicial custody in first of the three sexual assault cases lodged against him. He has been remanded to the Bengaluru Central Prison till June 24. The special investigation team (SIT) probing these cases may seek custody in a second case of sexual assault for custodial investigations at a later stage. Prajwal has sought anticipatory bail in the two other cases and the matter is being heard by a special court.Sikkim Krantikari Morcha convenor Prem Singh Tamang took oath as the chief minister of the Himalayan state for the second consecutive term today. Tamang and his Council of Ministers were administered the oath of office at the Paljor stadium in Gangtok. The ruling SKM secured a resounding victory in the state, by capturing 31 out of 32 seats in the assembly elections. In contrast, the Sikkim Democratic Front only managed to secure a victory in the Shyari constituency.Indicating that the battle for the control of the Nationalist Congress Party would continue, NCP (SP) working president Supriya Sule said today her party will continue to pursue the case in the Supreme Court strongly. On the occasion of the 25th foundation day of NCP, she said the voters have stood strongly behind the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) and the party was very grateful to them.Pakistan's coalition government is expected to lay out ambitious fiscal targets in the 2024/2025 (July-June) budget on Wednesday that will help strengthen its case for a new bailout deal with the International Monetary Fund, officials and analysts said. Pakistan is in talks with the IMF for a loan estimated to be anything between $6 billion to $8 billion to avert a default for an economy that is growing at the slowest pace in the region.This was the Catch-Up on the 3 Things by The Indian Express.

First, Indian Express' Deeptiman Tiwary joins us to talk about the demands that have been extended by BJP's alliance partners TDP and JD(U). With the NDA forming a coalition government, these longstanding demands have been highlighted, Deeptiman shares what these demands are and whether or not can they be materialized. Next, Indian Express’ Varinder Bhatia speaks to us about the electoral setback faced by the BJP in Haryana, what caused this setback and how it is going to impact Haryana's upcoming assembly elections. (11:54)And in the end, we talk about 9 people being killed and 33 getting injured in a suspected terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, where fire was opened at a bus full of pilgrims on their way to Katra. (19:27)Hosted by Niharika NandaProduced and written by Niharika Nanda and Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

This is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.It’s the 7th of June and here are the top stories of the week.The Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Party is set to return for a third term by winning 293 seats in the 18th Lok Sabha elections. However, the Bharatiya Janata Party suffered a major setback as it fell short of a majority – with 240 seats – on its own as it was heavily dependent on alliance partners such as the TDP and JD(U) to secure 272 seats required to form the government.The Opposition INDIA bloc combined by the Congress, the Samajwadi Party, Trinamool Congress, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam won a total of 232 seats. The Congress got back on its feet with 99 seats and the SP gave a stunning show by winning 37 seats from a mere 5 seats in Uttar Pradesh in 2019. The TMC won 29 seats in West Bengal while the DMK had leads in 22 seats. The Sharad Pawar-led NCP won 7 seats and the Shiv Sena of Uddhav Thackeray secured 9 seats. In Bihar, the RJD was ahead in 4 constituencies and the AAP and JMM in 3.In Odisha, the BJP is all set to form a majority government of its own for the first time, winning 78 out of 147 seats in the assembly elections of the coastal state. The outcome brings to an end the five-term reign of Naveen Patnaik’s BJD, which managed to retain only 51 seats this time. Patnaik was eyeing to become the longest serving Chief Minister in India, but fell short by 76 days.Actor Kangana Ranaut, who recently won the Mandi Lok Sabha seat on a BJP ticket, was allegedly slapped by a woman constable of the CISF at the security area of Chandigarh airport. Afterwards, the CISF constable, Kulwinder Kaur, suggested her actions were linked to a statement Ranaut had made about women joining the farmers’ protest. The CISF suspended the constable, initiated departmental inquiry, and lodged a police complaint against her. Ranaut, who was taking a Vistara flight to New Delhi and was accompanied by members of her family, said she will file a complaint with the Ministry of Home Affairs.The Chinese Foreign Ministry, which congratulated Narendra Modi, the BJP and NDA on their election victory, has protested the exchange of messages between Taiwan President Lai Ching-te and Modi on the poll outcome. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, responding to a question on the interaction between Modi and Lai, said there is no such thing as ‘president’ of the Taiwan region and that China opposes all forms of official interactions between the Taiwan authorities and countries having diplomatic relations with China. She further stated that Taiwan is an inalienable part of the territory of the People’s Republic of China.  This was the Catch-Up on the 3 Things by The Indian Express.

Indian Express journalists Dheeraj Mishra, Udit Misra, and Avaneesh Mishra discuss BJP's loss in Ayodhya, economic reforms under coalition govt, and the tragic incident of 9 trekkers in Uttarkashi. Insights on election factors, economic challenges, and rescue efforts.

This is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.It’s the 6th of June and here are today's headlines.Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s swearing-in ceremony is likely to take place on the evening of 9th of June, according to sources. Earlier, the ceremony was slated to take place on the 8th of June, but now it may be held at 6 pm on Sunday. The swearing-in of Telugu Desam Party chief N Chandrababu Naidu as the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh is likely to be postponed to 12th of June from 9th of June, as he has to attend PM Modi’s swearing-in first.Meanwhile, there were more than 150 politicians who shifted from one political party to another in the fray in the elections. Of these, 13 candidates or their family members are facing probes either by the Central Bureau of Investigation, the Income Tax Department, or the Enforcement Directorate. Of the 13, eight had switched sides to the BJP — seven from Congress and one from Trinamool Congress; two had switched sides to the Shiv Sena Shinde faction from the Shiv Sena, one switched to TDP from YSRCP; and two to Congress from the Jharkhand Vikas Party and Punjab Ekta Party, respectively.The India Meteorological Department issued a yellow alert for thunderstorms and lightning in Mumbai, Thane, and Raigad districts starting today. Similarly, the Pune Fire Brigade had received 50 calls related to water logging and tree falls as rainwater logged major portions of roads due flash floods that hit several parts of the city. The rainfall, which meteorologists said, was very close to a cloud burst that was localized in nature.Nine trekkers from Bengaluru died in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi after their 22-member team which was on a trekking expedition to Sahastra Tal was hit by bad weather on Tuesday afternoon. Officials confirmed today after four more bodies were recovered. The deceased were part of a 19-member group of trekkers from The Karnataka Mountaineering Association.In global news today, Israel targeted a Gaza school that it alleged contained an Hamas compound, killing fighters involved in the Oct. 7 attack. On theother hand, the Gaza media said the strike killed at least 27 people seeking shelter. The Hamas-run government media office, rejected Israel's claims that the UN school in Nuseirat, in central Gaza, had hidden a Hamas command post. Israel's military said that before the strike by Israeli fighter jets, the military took steps to reduce the risk of harm to civilians. Israel has said there will be no halt to fighting during ceasefire talks.This was the Catch-Up on the 3 Things by The Indian Express.

First, Flora Swain is joined by Indian Express' Sujit Bisoyi and veteran journalist Sandeep Sahu to discuss BJP's very first victory in Odisha which broke the 24 year long streak of Naveen Patnaik and the BJD. They discuss at length why it happened and where VK Pandian stands in this whole situation. Next, Indian Express’ Premankur Biswas speaks to political analyst Jayanta Ghoshal about Trinamool Congress' win in West Bengal despite the talks about it facing anti- incumbency. And the BJP losing ground in the state with its tally decreasing from 18 to 12 seats. Jayanta has been writing about the state for the last 40 years. (15:12)And in the end, we talk about China congratulating PM Modi on NDA's win in the Lok Sabha elections. China has said it wants to work on the bilateral relations between the two countries. (30:05)Hosted by Niharika NandaProduced and written by Niharika Nanda and Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

This is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.It’s the 5th of June and here are today's headlines.The National Democratic Alliance is likely to stake a claim to form government for the third consecutive time today, after the meeting at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence. Earlier today, Modi tendered his resignation to President Droupadi Murmu along with his Council of Ministers. He is likely to take oath for a third consecutive term on the 8th of June. This is the first time since Jawaharlal Nehru that a prime minister will be returning to power for a third consecutive term. With the BJP failing to go past the majority mark on their own, their allies Chandrababu Naidu and Nitish Kumar are in Delhi today for a meeting.As the INDIA bloc leaders prepare to meet at Congress President Malllikarjun Kharge’s residence today, NCP(SP) chief Sharad Pawar said that there had been no discussion within the bloc on reaching out to the TDP or JD(U) to shore up the numbers of the alliance for government formation. Congress leader KC Venugopal said that the INDIA bloc’s tally in the Lok Sabha Elections was “excellent” and that the alliance leaders would discuss their strategy at the meeting.While taking responsibility for the setback to the Bharatiya Janata Party Maharashtra in Maharashtra in the Lok Sabha elections, Devendra Fadnavis today offered to step down as the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and work for the party. Fadnavisa said the Lok Sabha election results were way below the party’s expectations.This is the second time that Fadnavis has expressed his wish to remain outside the government and lead the BJP unit.A city court has rejected Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s interim bail plea in a money laundering case related to the excise policy, even as it extended his judicial custody till 19th of June. Special judge Kaveri Baweja of Rouse Avenue Courts dismissed Kejriwal’s plea seeking interim bail for seven days on medical grounds. The blow comes just a day after the Kejriwal’s party AAP failed to make a mark in the Lok Sabha elections, with the BJP dominating the national capital for the third time in a row, winning all seven Lok Sabha seats.Wishes poured in from across the world for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP-led National Democratic Alliance for a third term in a row as they won 293 Lok Sabha seats. The American daily The Washington Post called India's Lok Sabha election results 2024 as determined by Indian voters to be an "unexpected repudiation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership." British daily The Guardian said "it was clear that the landslide for the BJP predicted in polls had not materialised and instead there had been a pushback against the strongman prime minister and his Hindu nationalist politics in swathes of the country."This was the Catch-Up on the 3 Things by The Indian Express.

Senior journalists and political experts decode surprising 2024 Lok Sabha poll results, discussing BJP's performance, SP's success in UP, TMC's comeback in West Bengal, and Congress party's increased tally. Focus on shifts in public opinion, rejection of dominance politics, and impact of caste dynamics and alliances on election outcomes.

This is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.It’s the 4th of June and here are today's headlines.With the NDA poised to form the government for a third consecutive time, bagging at least 290 seats, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called it a “historic feat”. As the INDIA bloc managed to halt the BJP’s march towards majority, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi came out to hit out at the BJP, saying that the mandate today was a clear indication that the people of the country do not want to PM Modi and Amit Shah to run the country. The Opposition INDIA bloc has reversed all exit poll predictions, leading in at least 228 seats, according to the latest numbers. However, despite a stiff contest, the BJP-led NDA is inching closer towards the 300-mark, standing at 297 at the moment.In what is probably the biggest upset state-wise, the tug-of-war for Odisha between BJP and BJD ended today with the Bharatiya Janata Party set to form the next government. Though the ruling BJD party hels various rallies and election campaigns, the saffron party has crossed the majority mark of 74. Odisha CHief Minister Naveen Patnaik served for five consecutive terms, but now the lotus party will form its first cabinet in the coastal state.In a major setback for the BJP, Union minister Smriti Irani lost to the Congress’s K L Sharma in Amethi, as Congress wrest back power. The Amethi win comes as a big boost to the Congress, with Rahul Gandhi losing the seat to Irani in 2019. In neighbouring Rae Bareli, a Congress party bastion for decades, Rahul defeated BJP candidate Dinesh Pratap Singh, who apologised to the people of Rae Bareli.Behind the remarkable turnaround for the Opposition Samajwadi Party and Congress in Uttar Pradesh where the INDIA bloc was leading, some fascinating factors may have given them an upper hand over the BJP. One of the factors that may have worked in favour of the SP, is its ticket-distribution strategy. Unlike previous elections, the SP ticket distribution focused on non-Yadav OBCs. Also, the SP changed candidates in several constituencies, depending on feedback from local cadre and local caste equation.The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and its allies, the JanaSena Party (JSP) of Pawan Kalyan and BJP, are headed for a landslide in Andhra Pradesh, in what is a complete reversal of the 2019 results. This is quite a turnaround for the TDP-led alliance, which was almost written off months before the elections after its chief N Chandrababu Naidu’s arrest. Jagan seemed to have lost focus on governance issues in trying to implement his nine welfare schemes, which he had promised during his padyatra ahead of the 2019 polls.This was the Catch-Up on the 3 Things by The Indian Express.

First, Indian Express' Sukrita Baruah joins us to talk about Arunachal Pradesh's assembly elections. She shares the results of the assembly elections and the seat distribution that it has led to.Next, Indian Express’ Damini Nath speaks to us about the BJP and the opposition INDIA Bloc approaching the Election Commission with concerns, days before the announcement of the Lok Sabha election results. She shares the issues that were expressed and the election authority's response. (8:26)And in the end, we talk about BRS leader K Kavitha who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate due to her involvement in the Delhi excise policy scam. Her judicial custody has been extended till June 3. (14:53)Hosted by Niharika NandaProduced and written by Niharika Nanda and Shashank BhargavaEdited and mixed by Suresh Pawar