India politics news in brief for Oct 20: Not just Sena but Indian democracy at stake, says Uddhav Thackeray

Here are news related to Indian politics for Thursday, October 20, 2022:

Former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, who is fighting a legal battle to claim the legacy of the Shiv Sena founded by his father late Bal Thackeray, on Thursday claimed that not just the future of the party but democracy in the country was at stake, Press Trust of India reported. Thackeray was addressing a function at the Shiv Sena Bhavan in Dadar area of Mumbai where he inducted former minister Sanjay Deshmukh from Yavatmal into his faction. Addressing a gathering after the induction, Thackeray said despite claims that the Shiv Sena had split and was finished, people were still coming to him.  The Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (Maharashtra Development Front) government collapsed in June this year after a rebellion led by party rebel Eknath Shinde. He was later sworn in as the chief minister with the BJP's support.

Newly elected Indian National Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge will take over his new assignment at a function at the All India Congress Committee headquarters on October 26, PTI reported. The certificate of his election to the post will also be presented to him at the function on the day and he will assume his new role from then on. The Congress on Wednesday (19) elected 'loyalist' Kharge as its new president, the first non-Gandhi to head the 137-year-old party in 24 years and succeed long-time chief Sonia Gandhi.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath will inaugurate 66 projects during the sixth edition of Deepotsava celebrations focusing on urban development, transport, housing and urban planning, public works, tourism and dairy development, ANI reported. "The much eagerly awaited Deepotsava festivities in Ayodhya will not stall the proposed developmental works in the holy city as Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath is set to inaugurate 66 projects during the period," a government official's statement said on Thursday.

The Indian National Congress on Thursday hit out at the Narendra Modi government over the "continuous fall" of the Indian rupee and accused it of always being in electioneering mode and having no focus on economic issues, PTI reported. Noting that mere statements will not work, the party also suggested that Prime Minister Modi convenes an immediate meeting with experts to take remedial measures in this matter. The Congress' president-elect Mallikarjun Kharge said the rupee again reached a record low of 83 points against the dollar, noting that it can prove to be "very dangerous" for India's economy.

Congress president-elect Mallikarjun Kharge Thursday took on prime minister Narendra Modi over a central minister defending the release of convicts in the Bilkis Bano case and asked if this was the respect for women he was preaching. Citing Modi's remarks that respect for women is important for India's growth, he said alleged that BJP leaders are attending events hosted by another rape convict out on parole. "PM Modi said respect for women is an important pillar for India's growth. A cabinet minister defends the release of convicts in the Bilkis Bano Case. BJP leaders attend an event hosted by another rape convict who's out on parole. Is this the respect for women that PM was preaching," Kharge asked on Twitter.

Indian home minister Amit Shah on Thursday said the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) wanted Delhi to be 'AAP Nirbhar' while the BJP wanted the national capital to be Atmanirbhar (self reliant), and asked people to choose between the two in the MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi) elections, PTI reported. Speaking at the launch of a waste-to-energy plant in Tehkhand in New Delhi, Shah accused the Kejriwal government of step-motherly treatment to the erstwhile three civic bodies and said it owed Rs 40,000 crore (£4.29 billion) to the municipal corporations. "They (Kejriwal-led party) want Delhi to be AAP Nirbhar. We want it to become Atmanirbhar. In the next Municipal Corporation of Delhi polls, people will have to decide if they want to be AAP Nirbhar or Atmanirbhar," Shah said at the event.