In a video interview, former J&K governor Satya Pal Malik told Congress leader Rahul Gandhi that government lapses caused the 2019 Pulwama attack. He said intelligence failed to monitor the explosives-laden truck and its terrorist owner despite red flags. Malik claimed he was told not to admit fault, but the incident was politicized rather than investigated. On Adani, Satya Pal Malik said the government reneged on MSP promises because Adani built godowns and bought crops cheaply. Regarding Manipur, Malik asserted the government has lost control but will be out of power soon. Malik also criticized Rahul's treatment after Pulwama, saying he was locked in a room at the airport instead of permitted to pay respects. The two discussed various issues like J&K, national security, and elections in the video interview.

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra's lawyer withdrew from the cash-for-query defamation case after allegations of a "conflict of interest" were raised in court. Supreme Court lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai, who provided evidence against Moitra, claimed Moitra's lawyer approached him to drop a CBI complaint in exchange for returning a pet dog, sparking controversy. The judge expressed dismay, leading Moitra's lawyer to withdraw. The next hearing is scheduled for October 31. Moitra faces bribery accusations from BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, with the Speaker referring the complaint to Parliament's Ethics Committee.

Vinod Sonkar, Chairman of the Ethics Committee of Parliament, revealed to India Today that he has not received businessman Darshan Hiranandani's letter accusing Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra of sharing her Parliamentary login ID and password for posting questions on her behalf. Sonkar stated that the committee will thoroughly examine the evidence presented by both parties, emphasizing the seriousness of the matter. The controversy emerged from BJP MP Nishikant Dubey's claims that Moitra took bribes for parliamentary questions. Moitra, in response, dismissed the accusations as politically motivated and denied any wrongdoing.

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra questions the legitimacy of businessman Darshan Hiranandani's affidavit, alleging the Prime Minister's Office forced him to sign a leaked document. Moitra dismisses it as a "joke," claiming the BJP government aims to silence her on the Adani issue. She challenges the affidavit's authenticity, questioning why Hiranandani didn't hold a press conference if his allegations were sincere. Hiranandani, in the affidavit, accuses Moitra of providing her Parliament ID for questioning the Adani Group to target PM Modi.

Businessman Darshan Hiranandani has supported BJP lawmaker Nishikant Dubey's complaint against TMC MP Mahua Moitra, alleging she received money and gifts for posing questions against the Adani Group in Parliament. Hiranandani admitted providing information, luxury gifts, and funding for Moitra's bungalow renovation. Moitra denies the charges, attributing them to a witch hunt. The ethics committee is investigating. The Adani Group, too, responded to those charges and said in a statement on October 16 that it proved that “some groups” were “working overtime to harm our name, goodwill and market standing”.

The Telangana Congress is set to include promising ten grams of gold to eligible women at the time of marriage and free internet for students in its manifesto for the November 30 Assembly polls. D Sridhar Babu, chairman of the TPCC manifesto committee, stated that the gold, in addition to Rs 1 lakh cash under the 'Mahalakshmi' guarantee, would amount to around Rs 50,000 to 55,000. The party is also considering incorporating free internet for students in the manifesto and plans to discuss the details with internet service providers if they come to power.  

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP of "destroying the idea of Manipur" while addressing a poll rally in Mizoram on Monday. He claimed Manipur is now like "two states" after months of deadly ethnic clashes that erupted over a proposed reservation policy change. Gandhi slammed PM Modi for not visiting Manipur where at least 175 people have died and 50,000 displaced since violence broke out in May. He alleged Modi cares more about Israel than the crisis in Manipur where homes were burnt, businesses lost and the internet cut. The Congress chief said women were molested and babies killed but Modi doesn't find Manipur important enough to travel there.

The INDIA alliance of 28 parties accused WhatsApp, Facebook and YouTube of aiding BJP's "communal hatred" and suppressing opposition content in strongly-worded letters to Meta's Zuckerberg and Google's Pichai. It alleged platforms abet social disharmony and incite hatred, citing Washington Post exposes on WhatsApp and Facebook's role in BJP's campaigns. It accused Facebook and Google executives of blatant partisanship towards government per reports. The letter called it interference in democracy and said Meta and Google promote ruling party content while algorithmically suppressing opposition leaders. The bloc demanded neutrality from the tech giants' CEOs over allegations of propagating hate and unfairly favoring government.

The Congress Working Committee advocated an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas amid their severe flare-up that has killed dozens. The CWC statement extended Congress' long-standing backing for Palestinian rights to land, self-rule and dignified living. It pressed for talks on all outstanding issues fueling the conflict. Congress has historically been vocal on the Israeli-Palestinian crisis. As Gaza rockets and Israeli airstrikes intensify violence, the CWC call aligns with global demands urging de-escalation and dialogue. It signals Congress prioritizing peace and its traditional solidarity with the Palestinian cause even as India expresses support for ally Israel.

The 2023 assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana, Mizoram, and Chhattisgarh will be held between November and December. Voting for the five states will start with Mizoram on November 7. Chhattisgarh will vote in two phases coinciding with Mizoram's date (November 7) and Madhya Pradesh's date November 17. Rajasthan and Telangana will vote on November 23 and 30 respectively. Results for all states will be declared together on December 3. In the 2018 assembly polls, Congress scored hat-trick victories in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh but later lost power in MP after Jyotiraditya Scindia and 22 MLAs defected to BJP. In Chhattisgarh, Congress had won 68 of 90 seats with 43% vote share while BJP got just 15 seats. Around 16.1 crore voters are eligible to cast ballots in the significant 2023 elections seen as 'semi-finals' ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. [Image: Bloomberg]