FEATURE STORY
The Mamata Banerjee-led faction of the TMC on Monday filed a detailed response before the Election Commission of India (ECI), rejecting rival leader Ritabrata Banerjee’s claim over the party. It also asserted that the TMC’s organisational committees remained valid until 2027 as per the constitution of the party.
The battle for control of the TMC intensified on Thursday after the Ritabrata Banerjee-led rebel faction met the full bench of the Election Commission of India (ECI).
After 10 rounds of meetings since December 2025, the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) examining the 130th Constitution Amendment Bill is likely to recommend no change to its clause proposing the removal of the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers or other Ministers from office if they are arrested and detained in custody for 30 consecutive days for serious offences.
In a major political development that completely alters Bihar’s electoral landscape, Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor announced on Sunday, July 5, 2026, that he will make his personal electoral debut by contesting the upcoming assembly by-election from Patna’s high-profile Bankipur constituency. Addressing a packed press conference, the 48-year-old former poll strategist explicitly framed the upcoming democratic contest as a direct, clear “referendum” on the popularity and performance of the two-month-old, BJP-led state government headed by Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary—who assumed office following Nitish Kumar’s elevation to the Rajya Sabha. The urban Bankipur seat, widely considered an ironclad BJP bastion since the 1990s, fell vacant after sitting legislator and BJP national president Nitin Nabin resigned upon being elected to the Upper House. Launching an aggressive campaign pitch, Kishor appealed to Bankipur’s highly educated electorate to vote purely on merit rather than traditional caste math, claiming that even as a lone representative of his newly formed party, his legislative impact would decisively outweigh the entire treasury bench. As the Election Commission of India (ECI) officially sets the voting date for July 30, 2026, with counting scheduled for August 3, the grand opposition alliance of the RJD and Congress is yet to reveal its strategy, while expelled RJD leader Tej Pratap Yadav’s independent faction has already complicated the field by fielding social activist Veena Manvi.
Maintaining strong upward momentum into the new trading week, Indian equity benchmarks logged their fourth consecutive weekly gain on Monday, July 6, 2026, as robust corporate business updates completely overshadowed lingering macroeconomic worries. The NSE Nifty 50 surged 159.50 points, or 0.66 percent, to finish firmly above a fresh psychological resistance level at 24,430.35, while the BSE Sensex advanced 521.16 points to capture the 78,285.07 threshold. The broad-based rally was primarily engineered by heavy institutional buying across banking heavyweights; HDFC Bank reported an impressive 15.4% year-on-year growth in gross advances over the weekend, while Axis Bank electrified the trading floor by posting an 18.8% surge in credit expansion, immediately establishing a firm technical floor for the broader index. This financial surge was highly supported by benign global cues, as a softer-than-expected U.S. labor market report effectively dialed down Federal Reserve tightening fears, while Brent crude held comfortably beneath the $80-a-barrel mark. Geopolitical anxieties on the West Asia front have temporarily transitioned into a quiet holding pattern as indirect Doha peace negotiations take a brief recess for the state funeral proceedings of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Meanwhile, technology counters experienced cautious, defensive positioning ahead of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) locking in its Q1 results on July 9, with analysts tracking management’s outlook on global discretionary tech outlays.
In a seismic upset that fundamentally alters the landscape of international football, Norway staged an extraordinary defensive masterclass to dump five-time world champions Brazil out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a breathtaking 2-1 Round of 16 victory. Playing under the blinding lights of MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Monday, July 6, 2026, the heavily favored Seleção paid a devastating price for squandering early tactical dominance. Brazil was thrown a golden liferaft in the first half following a VAR-dictated penalty review, but Norwegian goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland anticipated perfectly, executing a spectacular diving save to deny Bruno Guimarães from the spot. Anchored by that defensive resilience, Ståle Solbakken’s disciplined squad methodically executed swift transition play in the second half. Supersub Andreas Schjelderup turned into the architect of Brazilian heartbreak, first carving open the defense in the 79th minute with a floating cross that Erling Haaland powerfully headed past Alisson Becker, before assisting the clinical Manchester City striker again in the 90th minute for a decisive tap-in. While a late VAR penalty allowed a devastated Neymar to score in the 100th minute, the final whistle immediately prompted emotional scenes as the icon broke down in tears, formally announcing his immediate retirement from international football and drawing a poignant curtain on his 16-year journey as Brazil’s all-time leading goalscorer.