Beds, blankets, pillows, an almirah, stoves, a fridge, and a TV now occupy the space once filled with chalks, books, and blackboards in a school in Bihar. The principal has transformed an office-room into a peculiar “bedroom-cum-kitchen,” taking the concept of work-from-home to unusual extremes, almost turning it into a “home-from-work” situation. Sheela Hembram, the principal of Upgraded Middle School in Bardaun, located in the Maoist-affected Khaira block of Jamui district, explains that her family is currently “homeless” as they await the completion of their new house being constructed in a nearby village.

Brijendra, possibly the first incumbent Member of Parliament to part ways with the dominant BJP, stands out amid a trend where leaders from various parties are eagerly embracing the saffron faction. He pointed to three primary reasons for his growing discomfort within the BJP: concerns related to farmers, the status of women wrestlers, and reservations about the Agniveer scheme for armed forces recruitment. During discussions with the media, he also emphasized that the BJP-JJP alliance significantly contributed to his unease within the BJP.

Uttara Kannada’s BJP Member of Parliament, Anantkumar Hegde, has sparked controversy by asserting that his party must secure 400 Lok Sabha seats in the upcoming elections to “rectify” the Constitution and undo the perceived harm caused by Congress over the years. This echoes remarks he made in 2019. While speaking to BJP workers in Siddapur taluk on Saturday, Hegde claimed that the Congress had repeatedly amended the Constitution, implementing “anti-people” policies.