Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday set a May 2029 target for cleaning the Yamuna River and criticised the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress over the river’s pollution. Shah’s remarks came as the Delhi government launched sewerage and river-cleaning projects worth Rs 8,941 crore. The plan includes new sewage treatment plants, upgraded facilities and expanded sewer networks to prevent untreated wastewater from entering the river. The projects aim to improve water quality and address long-standing pollution concerns. Shah accused previous governments of failing to fulfil their promises to clean the Yamuna. (PC: News18)

Union Home Minister Amit Shah took a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his reported foreign visit, saying the Congress would not return to power for the next 30 years. Shah’s remarks came amid a political row over Gandhi’s reported trip abroad while opposition parties were protesting against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the voter list revision exercise. The BJP has criticised Gandhi’s absence, while Congress leaders have defended his right to travel. The dispute has added to tensions between the BJP and Congress over political protests and electoral issues. (PC: India Today)

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has alleged that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was detained for nearly three hours at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport after returning from Paris and was issued a ₹50,000 challan. AAP Punjab media in-charge Baltej Pannu claimed officials delayed Mann over luggage checks and alleged that they faced pressure from higher authorities. The party linked the incident to alleged obstacles imposed by the Centre on Mann’s foreign visits. Mann had travelled to Paris to promote Punjab’s products at an international food trade exhibition. Airport authorities reportedly attributed the fine to undeclared items in his luggage. (PC: ANI)

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on October 18, 2026, intensified his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar during the party’s Goy Rakhon Yatra in Margao, Goa. Gandhi accused them of being responsible for alleged electoral manipulation, describing it as “vote chori” and an attack on the Constitution. He alleged Modi masterminded the plan, Shah implemented it and Gyanesh Kumar executed it. Gandhi vowed that Congress would continue its fight for electoral transparency and accountability, insisting those responsible would ultimately face justice. 

Congress president and Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking an all-party meeting to discuss the government’s new delimitation proposals before they are finalised for Parliament. In his October 16 letter, Kharge highlighted that 64 days had passed since the Monsoon Session was adjourned on August 13, yet both Houses had not been prorogued. He recalled making similar requests on April 11, July 16 and August 27. Kharge also referred to the delimitation Constitutional Amendment Bill’s failure to secure a two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha on April 17, urging adequate consultation with political parties and stakeholders. (PC: Frontline)

BJP general secretary Smriti Irani on October 15 criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over protests against the Election Commission of India (ECI), calling him an “unelectable prince” and accusing the Opposition of seeking regime change rather than electoral transparency. She dismissed Gandhi’s “vote chori” allegations as headline-chasing and questioned whether he had sufficient evidence to support his claims. Defending the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, Irani claimed that 90% of approximately 90 crore voters had been verified. She maintained that governments must be changed through elections, not protests, amid escalating tensions between the BJP and Opposition parties. (PC: India Today)

The Congress has reached out to Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke, inviting him to a high tea hosted by Rahul Gandhi for INDIA bloc leaders, civil society representatives and student leaders. The move signals a possible shift in the party’s approach towards CJP, which has led protests demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over alleged electoral irregularities. Congress leaders had earlier maintained distance from the group, with some viewing it as linked to the Aam Aadmi Party. Rahul Gandhi recently condemned the arrest of CJP leaders during protests at Jantar Mantar.  (PC: The Indian Express)

Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra met the parents of Ankita Bhandari at their sit-in protest near India Gate in Delhi on Wednesday. The family is opposing the appointment of Uttarakhand BJP leader Dushyant Gautam as Sikkim governor and has demanded that the move be halted until the investigation is completed. Ankita, a receptionist at Vanantra Resort in Uttarakhand’s Pauri district, was murdered in 2022. Her family has alleged Gautam’s involvement, an allegation reported by the Congress. Rahul Gandhi said the family had been waiting for justice for 4 years. (PC: HT)

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has publicly supported jailed Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protesters for the first time, signalling a possible shift in relations between the two groups. Reacting to the arrests of CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, Rahul said peaceful protest with the national flag was not a crime. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke thanked him for the statement. The Congress had previously kept its distance from the outfit amid concerns over its links with AAP and competition for youth support. Both groups have separately protested exam paper leaks and alleged electoral roll irregularities. (PC: India Today)

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday used a flute performance to symbolically oppose the alleged police crackdown on protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. At a press conference, flute artist Samar played ‘Vaishnav Jan To Tene Kahiye’ in response to what Gandhi described as the authorities’ use of force. Samar alleged that police detained and assaulted him. An NSUI functionary also accused police personnel of beating her during detention in Delhi, causing injuries to her legs and ear. She further alleged that another protester was assaulted. The allegations could not be independently verified, and no police response was available in the report.