Congress leader Shashi Tharoor took a dig at the government over the India-Bharat naming controversy, quipping the opposition bloc could call itself 'BHARAT' - Alliance for Betterment, Harmony And Responsible Advancement for Tomorrow. His remark came after President Murmu's G20 invite addressed her as President of 'Bharat' instead of 'India', sparking furore. Tharoor jibed that perhaps then the ruling party might stop the "fatuous game of changing names". Earlier, he had said there's no constitutional objection to 'Bharat' but hoped government won't dispense with 'India'. His latest quip refers to opposition alliance 'INDIA'.

The Centre has mocked Congress leader Sonia Gandhi over her letter demanding discussion on various issues in the upcoming parliament session. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi responded that Gandhi perhaps doesn't know parliamentary traditions, as the government discusses the agenda with opposition only after the session starts. Gandhi had written to PM Modi underscoring no agenda was announced for the September 18 special session and listed 9 subjects for discussion. Joshi asserted the session was called as per tradition and said issues are discussed with all parties before commencement. The sparring comes amid buzz over the country's name change to 'Bharat'.

UK's Labour Party leader Keir Starmer undertook a major reshuffle of the party's shadow cabinet on Tuesday, demoting two senior Indian-origin MPs - Lisa Nandy and Preet Kaur Gill. Nandy was removed from her role as shadow foreign secretary and appointed to the levelling up brief, while Gill was demoted from shadow international development secretary to a backbench position. The reshuffle marks a shift in the diversity profile of Labour's top team under Starmer. Both Nandy and Gill accepted their demotions gracefully, reiterating support for the leader. The move is seen as Starmer stamping his authority and shaping the shadow cabinet to gear up for the next general election.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday left for an almost week-long Europe visit during which he will hold meetings with EU lawyers, students and the Indian diaspora. Gandhi will meet EU lawyers in Brussels on September 7 and The Hague. He will also address students in Paris on September 8 and participate in a Labour Union event on September 9. Thereafter, Gandhi will visit Norway to address the Indian diaspora in Oslo on September 10 before returning the next day. Gandhi's meetings with European leaders and Indian community members aim to boost Congress' international outreach amidst domestic political developments.

A Right to Information (RTI) query has revealed that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not taken any leave since assuming office in 2014. The inquiry, which also asked about the number of days the PM attended events and functions, directed respondents to a PMO website showing over 3,000 events attended, nearly one per day. The RTI response came from PMO Under Secretary Parvesh Kumar. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar praised Modi's dedication during an interaction with the Indian community in Bangkok, while past claims about the PM's limited sleep have resurfaced from 2020 and 2016 RTI queries.

In an exclusive interview with PTI, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted that a human-centric worldview is replacing the GDP-centric one. Speaking to PTI’s Editor-in-Chief Vijay Joshi and senior editors at his residence, PM Modi compared the emerging post-COVID world order to the one after WW2. He stated that parameters of influence are changing and this needs recognition. According to him, the 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas' model that has guided India, can be a principle for global welfare too. Modi emphasized that irrespective of GDP size, every voice now matters. Read the full transcript of the interview in the link.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi shared a video of him cooking and chatting with Lalu Prasad Yadav about food and politics. Recently asked who cooks well among politicians, Gandhi had named Yadav. In the clip, Gandhi learns cooking from the "champion" Yadav. Drawing a parallel between cooking and politics, Gandhi asks the difference. Yadav laughs that politics requires mixing too. Gandhi says BJP spreads hatred every 15-20 years in power, questioning why. Yadav replies political hunger is never satisfied. The Opposition's INDIA alliance, concluded a two-day brainstorming session in Mumbai yesterday and is set to announce a seat-sharing formula for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections on September 30. 

The Opposition's INDIA alliance, concluding a two-day brainstorming session in Mumbai, has formed a 14-member coordination panel and is set to announce a seat-sharing formula for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Amid the ongoing controversy over the Centre's 'One Nation, One Election' proposal, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge noted that the strength of the INDIA alliance is unsettling the ruling government. He cautioned that the Opposition should expect more government actions, including raids and arrests, in what he called "vendetta politics." The Centre has recently appointed a committee to examine the 'One Nation, One Election' issue. The INDIA alliance has also postponed the unveiling of its official logo.

In Mumbai, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi demanded a parliamentary probe into OCCRP's fresh allegations against Adani. He said PM Modi must explain the claims transparently before the G20 Summit as it raises serious concerns. Gandhi called for a Joint Parliamentary Committee investigation and action against those responsible. Gandhi asserted Modi must address it before world leaders arrive, rather than let claims of misconduct by a company close to him hang during India's G20 presidency. Adani dismissed the allegations as "blatantly erroneous". Gandhi said G20 will ask why Adani gets a free ride in India.

The third meeting of the Opposition INDIA alliance in Mumbai enters its second day with 28 parties strategizing against the BJP-led NDA for the upcoming elections. Day one involved informal discussions on a game plan, while day two focuses on forming an 11-member coordination committee and appointing a convenor. The new logo for the alliance which was expected to be unveiled today is delayed. The decision on seat sharing will be taken on September 30. Notable attendees include Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, and Rahul Gandhi, Nitish Kumar, M K Stalin, Akhilesh Yadav, and Mamata Banerjee.