The BJP is still working on selecting the final names to be made chief ministers in the three states where the party won the recent assembly elections, sources said. The party will appoint observers for the three states tomorrow to finally choose the names, they said.

More than a handful names are said to be in the list of probables for the chief minister posts in the three states – Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh.

The BJP fought the elections without naming any chief ministerial candidate.

The observers are likely to oversee meetings of the newly elected MLAs in the three states, where they will pick their leaders. Many within the BJP see the massive mandate it has got in the three states as a strong statement of wider popular support for its policies and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.

Shivraj Singh Chouhan remains a strong contender in Madhya Pradesh, following the party’s win with a two-thirds majority. Union ministers Prahlad Patel, Jyotiraditya Scindia and Narendra Singh Tomar are also being seen as among the probables.

In Chhattisgarh, former chief minister Raman Singh, state BJP president Arun Kumar Sao, leader of Opposition Dharamlal Kaushik and former IAS officer OP Chaudhary are seen by political analysts as among the contenders. Except for Mr Singh, all the three leaders come from the Other Backward Classes (OBC).

The BJP leadership has, however, often surprised observers with its chief ministerial picks in the past.

In Rajasthan, former chief minister Vasundhara Raje is seen as one of the contenders for the top post. Some 25 BJP MLA met her on Monday in what was seen as a show of support and strength. Though the MLAs termed it a courtesy meeting, they said they will support Ms Raje if the party leadership chooses her for the top post. Ms Raje along with her son Dushyant Singh met BJP chief JP Nadda in Delhi this evening.

A video showing Russian president Vladimir Putin praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “tough” decision making has intrigued social media users. Voiced in Hindi, the video shows the Russian leader talking at length about the ever-growing relations between the two countries.

“Relations between Russia and India are constantly developing in all directions and the main guarantee of this is the policy of Prime Minister Modi,” the Russian leader said.

🇷🇺 राष्ट्रपति व्लादिमीर पुतिन ने की 🇮🇳 प्रधानमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी की तारीफ, कहा- उनकी नीति भारत और रूस के प्रगाढ़ संबंधों की गारंटी

राष्ट्रपति पुतिन ने कहा- ”रूस और भारत के संबंध लगातार सभी दिशाओं में विकसित हो रहे हैं और इसकी मुख्य गारंटी प्रधानमंत्री मोदी की नीति है। मैं… pic.twitter.com/b7lwMuMWZD

— RT Hindi (@RT_hindi_) December 7, 2023

The clip shows Putin sharing his admiration for PM Modi’s policies, with an Artificial Intelligence-generated voice translating his words. “President Putin’s voice in this video is AI generated,” clarified the post.

Putin says he is often “surprised” by PM Modi’s tough stance over national security. “To be honest, sometimes I am surprised by his tough stance on protecting the national interests of the Indian people,” he said.

The 45-second clip has amassed thousands of views on X, formerly Twitter as users lauded Putin for his high praise of the prime minister while also sharing their surprise at the speech in Hindi.

Sharing his “observations from outside”, the Russian president claimed he cannot imagine the prime minister to be “forced or intimidated” to take a decision. “I cannot imagine that Modi can be intimidated, threatened or forced to take any action or decision against the national interest of India and the Indian people. I know there is such pressure on them,” he added.

Last month, in his address at the virtual G20 summit, Putin has thanked India for its good work during its chairmanship of the G20 in New Delhi from September 9-10.

The Supreme Court will deliver its much-anticipated verdict on the constitutional validity of the Centre’s decision to abrogate Article 370 of the Constitution, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir, on Monday.

The landmark case, encompassing 23 petitions challenging government action, has been under review by the Supreme Court for an extended period. After 16 marathon days of hearings and persuasive arguments presented by both sides, the court reserved its judgment on September 5. 

A five-judge Constitution bench, led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and comprising Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Sanjeev Khanna, BR Gavai, and Surya Kant, will pronounce the verdict on Monday. Their decision will hold immense significance, determining whether the abrogation of Article 370 was carried out in accordance with the Constitution and legal principles.

Eighteen lawyers, including Kapil Sibal, Gopal Subramaniam, Dushyant Dave, and Rajiv Dhawan, presented arguments challenging the validity of the Centre’s decision while the Centre, represented by Attorney General R Venkataramani, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, and other legal experts, defended its actions as being completely logical and appropriate.

Centre’s Argument 

The Centre argued that the dissolution of the Jammu and Kashmir Constituent Assembly automatically brought about the creation of the Legislative Assembly. This, they claim, empowers the Centre to take action with the consent of Parliament when the Legislative Assembly stands adjourned during periods of President’s rule. 

They further asserted that this process adheres to the Constitution and does not violate the federal structure between the central and state governments.

Petitioners’ Argument 

The petitioners have accused the Centre of arbitrarily disregarding the state’s rights and constitutionally enshrined Legislative Assembly.

They argued that before dividing the state, obtaining the consent of the people, represented by their elected representatives in the Legislative Assembly, was a fundamental requirement. By bypassing this crucial step, the Centre has encroached upon the state’s autonomy and undermined the fundamental principles of Centre-State relations.

The petitioners further argued that the people of Jammu and Kashmir have been “deprived of representation” in both the Legislative Assembly and Lok Sabha for four long years. This denial of their elected representatives amounts to a strangulation of democracy in the region, they argued.