This special report examines the alleged harassment and excessive work pressure faced by booth-level officers (BLOs) during a special intensive revision of voter lists nationwide. Amid reports of stress-related deaths and alleged suicides, the program inspires BLOs in West Bengal and Rajasthan to document their daily struggles. One official describes working from morning till night to distribute and collect forms, while another describes facing threats and abuse from residents as they race to meet Election Commission deadlines. The report highlights the challenges of missing data, non-cooperative voters and the impact this intensive exercise is having on these frontline workers.

In a candid interview, Karnataka Labor Minister Santosh Lad addressed the intense speculation over leadership change in the state Congress government. Responding to questions about the alleged differences between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, Lad admits, ‘It would be wrong if I say there is no confusion.’ Denying personal knowledge of any secret ‘two-and-a-half-year’ power-sharing deal, he claimed that the party high command would sort out the matter within a week or two. Lad, a self-confessed Siddaramaiah loyalist who calls the CM his ‘godfather’, insists that all leaders must abide by the decisions of the high command. The minister rejected claims that there were governance issues, blamed BJP’s propaganda for the story and confirmed that top leaders including Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi would mediate the situation.

In this special report, India Today Senior Editor Sagai Raj decodes the growing power struggle in Karnataka between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar. The internal rift has come out in public after DK Shivakumar posted a cryptic message saying ‘words matter in politics’, stressing the importance of keeping promises. The comment is being seen as a reference to the anticipated two-and-a-half-year power-sharing agreement between the two leaders. Siddaramaiah reportedly responded by saying that ‘words are not mere slogans’ and ‘words are not power unless it makes the world better.’ The report highlights the intervention of the Congress high command, with hopes that the two leaders will be called to Delhi to resolve the impasse.

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In this episode of India First, the panel discusses the escalating leadership tussle in Karnataka between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar as the 2.5-year power-sharing deadline approaches. ‘For the Congress, I don’t think it can afford to have that déjà vu again,’ warns political analyst Sanjay Jha, referring to previous crises in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. The discussion also included Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent comments on a possible split within the Congress after the Bihar election results. BJP national spokesperson Tuhin Sinha criticizes Congress for ‘fiscal anarchy’ and internal strife. The program analyzes whether the Congress high command under the leadership of Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi can decisively manage the transition or whether the party faces another internal rebellion.