A Desperate Move with Dire ConsequencesTHE Trinamool Congress's recent Lok Sabha election results, despite gains, revealed a 2.25 per cent drop in vote share compared to 2021 assembly polls, particularly a sharp loss of support among the urban middle class and the poor. This decline has triggered a desperate scramble to regain lost ground. In a move aimed at appeasing the middle class and intimidating the urban poor, Mamata Banerjee's government launched surprise hawker eviction drives across the state on June 25.

THE results of the 18th Lok Sabha elections on June 4, 2024 proved that the people voted in favour of saving the constitution and democracy and curbed the dictatorship of the BJP and the Modi government.  BJP, which had set a target of crossing 400, got 240 seats only. BJP lost 63 seats compared to the 2019 elections. It could not reach the majority to form the government on its own. However, NDA secured a majority with 293 seats and the NDA government came to power at the centre for the third time under the leadership of Narendra Modi.

John Brittas, CPI(M) MP in Rajya Sabha, has written a letter to Dharmendra Pradhan, minister for education, Government of India, on June 21, 2024 expressing pressing concerns surrounding the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and the University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test (UGC NET). Both examinations have elicited significant criticism for their impact on the federal structure and the autonomy of state educational institutions.

ON June 24, 2024, a delegation of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Himachal Pradesh, including Rakesh Singha, Kuldip Singh Tanwar, and Sanjay Chauhan, met the 16th Finance Commission during their visit to the state. CPI(M) urged the 16th Finance Commission to prioritise Himachal Pradesh's unique challenges, including its rugged terrain, harsh climate, and reliance on the primary sector.

THE SFI Maharashtra state committee held its four-day state-level study camp from May 30 to June 2, 2024, at the Comrade Godavari Shamrao Parulekar Bhavan at Talasari in Palghar district. It was the first time that Palghar district was hosting a state SFI camp. It was attended by 160 student activists from 17 districts. They included 40 girl students.The SFI in Maharashtra for many decades has the tradition of holding regular study camps every year at the beginning of the academic session in June. However, this tradition was interrupted due to the Covid pandemic in 2020-21.