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			<lastBuildDate>Mon, 18 May 2026 07:50:01 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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<title><![CDATA[?Even ED Raids Won?t Save BJP In Goa?: Atishi Targets BJP]]></title>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Mon, 18 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Former Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader, Atishi Marlena, on Monday said that even Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids would not be able to save the BJP in Goa.
Her remarks came after the ED conducted raids at premises linked to AAP leader Deepak Singla and others in Delhi and Goa in connection with an alleged money laundering case.

Atishi took to social media platform X to share a video message, saying, ?Even ED raids won?t be able to save the BJP in Goa.?

She alleged that the BJP had previously used the ED against the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal during elections.

?The whole nation saw how the BJP used the ED against the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal. The agency targeted Trinamool Congress leaders during the elections and several party workers were sent to jail,? she said.

She further alleged that data related to Trinamool Congress organisations was accessed with the help of the ED.

?Once the elections were over, those workers were released from jail. After Bengal, they started targeting Punjab. Raids were conducted at the houses of AAP leaders. Leaders who joined the BJP did not face any action,? she claimed.

Atishi also referred to AAP leader Sanjeev Arora, alleging that action was taken against him after he refused to join the BJP.

?After Punjab, their next target is Goa. They know very well that the people of Goa are unhappy with the BJP government and that the party could be voted out of power. They are also seeing that AAP?s popularity in the state is increasing,? she said.

Claiming that the raids on Deepak Singla?s residence were politically-motivated, she said, ?Around 15 ED vehicles and nearly 50 officers are involved in the raids. They are trying to gather organisational data and information about how AAP functions, how it connects with people, and who its workers are.?

Atishi asserted that the AAP would not be intimidated by such actions.

?I want to tell the BJP that we are not afraid of ED threats. The people of Goa are watching everything. The BJP has ruined Goa, and even ED raids will not be able to save the party there,? she said.&nbsp;--IANS]]></description>
<link>https://www.theweekendleader.com/Headlines/81101/even-ed-raids-wont-save-bjp-in-goa-atishi-targets.html</link>
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<title><![CDATA[AIADMK Faces Fresh Setback As Former Minister Semmalai Quits Party]]></title>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Mon, 18 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[In a fresh blow to the AIADMK amid its ongoing internal crisis, former Minister Semmalai on Monday announced his resignation from the party, citing growing dissatisfaction over the party?s functioning and alleging that he had been sidelined for years after the death of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. 

In a strongly worded statement, Semmalai expressed disappointment over the current state of affairs within the party, saying recent developments had caused him deep mental anguish.

His resignation comes at a time when AIADMK is witnessing increasing factional tensions and public disagreements among senior leaders, adding to the uncertainty surrounding the party?s future direction.

Semmalai alleged that after Jayalalithaa?s demise, several opportunities within the party had been denied to him despite his long-standing contribution and loyalty.

He suggested that deserving leaders and cadres were increasingly being overlooked, creating frustration among many party workers.

The former minister also voiced concern over the public image of the AIADMK, saying the situation had deteriorated to a point where even the media and public discussions were ridiculing the party because of its internal disputes.

He questioned how a party that once stood as a powerful political force in Tamil Nadu had reached such a stage of instability. Referring to the ongoing internal clashes, Semmalai said the developments were painful for cadres who had worked tirelessly for the growth of the party over decades.

Using a sharp metaphor, he remarked, ?Camphor may dissolve, but should a party dissolve?? -- a statement widely viewed as a criticism of the leadership?s inability to control the deepening crisis within the organisation.

Semmalai?s exit is being seen as another challenge for the AIADMK leadership at a time when the party is already grappling with factional divisions and questions over organisational unity.

Political observers believe his resignation could trigger further debate within the party ranks over leadership, internal democracy and the future course of the organisation.

While the AIADMK leadership had not immediately issued an official response to Semmalai?s announcement, his departure has added another layer of pressure on the party as it attempts to navigate a difficult political phase.&nbsp;--IANS]]></description>
<link>https://www.theweekendleader.com/Headlines/81100/aiadmk-faces-fresh-setback-as-former-minister-semmalai-quits-party.html</link>
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<title><![CDATA[AIADMK Rift Deepens As District Units Turn Battlegrounds In Tamil Nadu]]></title>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Mon, 18 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The internal crisis within the AIADMK has deepened further as the party?s growing factional battle spread across district units in Tamil Nadu, triggering tensions and prompting police intervention in several places.  

Supporters of Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) and the rival faction led by former Ministers S.P. Velumani and C.Ve. Shanmugham are increasingly engaged in a struggle for control, leading to party offices being locked and brought under security watch.

Following similar developments in Villupuram, Cuddalore, Pudukkottai, and Karur, the latest flashpoint emerged in Dindigul, where police stepped in to prevent a confrontation between rival groups seeking control of the district party unit.

The Dindigul dispute has brought two influential leaders and former ministers -- Natham Viswanathan and Dindigul Srinivasan -- into direct conflict. The differences surfaced after EPS removed several district-level functionaries believed to be aligned with the rebel faction.

While Natham Viswanathan has backed the Velumani-Shanmugham camp, Dindigul Srinivasan has remained firmly with EPS. Supporters of Viswanathan sought police protection to enter the district office, while Srinivasan?s supporters opposed the move, resulting in police sealing access and preventing both groups from entering the premises to avoid any law-and-order situation.

Later, Srinivasan held a meeting with his supporters and reiterated that the AIADMK general council had unanimously accepted Edappadi K. Palaniswami as the party?s general secretary and undisputed leader.

Responding to questions regarding the rebel MLAs, he said the matter would be decided according to legal procedures and indicated that action against them remained inevitable.

Meanwhile, the Velumani-Shanmugham faction intensified efforts to convene an emergency general council meeting aimed at challenging the current leadership structure.

Supporters of the rebel camp have reportedly begun collecting signatures from general council and executive committee members across the state and claim they have already secured support from more than 1,000 members. At the same time, the EPS camp has continued pressing for action against the 25 rebel MLAs accused of violating the party whip during the Assembly trust vote.&nbsp;--IANS]]></description>
<link>https://www.theweekendleader.com/Headlines/81099/aiadmk-rift-deepens-as-district-units-turn-battlegrounds-in-tamil-nadu.html</link>
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<title><![CDATA[Congress Returns To Power In Kerala; Satheesan Takes Oath As Chief Minister]]></title>
<pubDate><![CDATA[Mon, 18 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000]]></pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[A thunderous roar swept across the packed Central Stadium on Monday morning as V.D. Satheesan rose to take oath as the 13th Chief Minister of Kerala, marking the return of a Congress-led UDF government to power after a gap of 10 years. 

The moment Satheesan?s name was announced by Kerala Governor Rajendra Arlekar, the crowd erupted into prolonged cheers, with party workers waving flags and raising slogans in celebration of the Congress? return to office.

The excitement was unmistakable, as for many Congress workers and supporters, this was a long-awaited political homecoming.

The last Congress-led UDF government in Kerala was headed by the late former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, who took oath in 2011.

The swearing-in ceremony, held at the Central Stadium just a stone?s throw away from the seat of power -- the Secretariat -- carried both political symbolism and emotional weight.

Satheesan, who turns 62 on Sunday, took the oath in the name of God as thousands watched from inside and outside the overflowing venue.

In a departure from established convention, several national and state political heavyweights shared the dais with Satheesan and his 20 Cabinet colleagues.

Among them were Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, outgoing Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, State BJP president and newly elected MLA Rajeev Chandrasekhar, secretaries of both Communist parties and senior Congress veterans.

The Chief Ministers from Congress-ruled Karnataka, Telangana and Himachal Pradesh were seated on the dais, underlining the national importance attached by the Congress leadership to the Kerala victory.

Veteran IUML leader P.K. Kunhalikutty was the second to take the oath, followed by senior Congress leaders Ramesh Chennithala and Sunny Joseph.

The 21-member ministry includes 12 ministers from the Congress, five from the IUML and one each from Kerala Congress, Kerala Congress (Jacob), CMP and RSP.

The festive mood was visible from dawn itself as supporters poured into the capital city in large numbers.

The stadium soon overflowed, leaving many unable to enter the venue.

Interestingly, Mons Joseph is the only minister in the new Cabinet who served as a minister during the V.S. Achuthanandan-led Left government between 2007 and 2009, when his then party, Kerala Congress (Joseph) faction, was aligned with the LDF.

For 14 members of the new Cabinet, Monday marked their first oath-taking as ministers, giving the ministry a distinctly fresh face.

Earlier in the day, Satheesan personally reached the airport to receive the visiting dignitaries, setting the tone for a day packed with symbolism and political messaging.

Following the customary tea reception after the ceremony, the newly sworn-in Cabinet headed straight to the Secretariat for its first Cabinet meeting, where key decisions, including the implementation of the five guarantees announced by Rahul Gandhi during the election campaign, are expected to be discussed.&nbsp;--IANS]]></description>
<link>https://www.theweekendleader.com/Headlines/81098/congress-returns-to-power-in-kerala-satheesan-takes-oath-as-chief-minister.html</link>
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