India reaffirms support for two-state solution amid Trump's Gaza proposal
New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar reiterated India’s support for a two-state solution in the Israel-Palestine conflict during the G20 foreign ministers' conference in South Africa. This marks the first official comment from India following US President Donald Trump's controversial proposal to "take over" Gaza and deport its two million Palestinian residents to Egypt and Jordan.
Trump’s proposal has drawn sharp criticism from Arab nations but received backing from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Jaishankar emphasized India's consistent stance on promoting peace and stability in West Asia.
“On the Middle East, we welcome the Gaza ceasefire and hostage release, support humanitarian assistance, condemn terrorism, and advocate a two-state solution,” Jaishankar stated. He also stressed the importance of maintaining the ceasefire in Lebanon and supporting a Syrian-led peace process.
Analysts have warned that Trump’s plan could render the two-state solution impossible by eliminating the possibility of a contiguous Palestinian state.
In addition, Jaishankar addressed other global conflicts, urging for peaceful negotiations in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. This came after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s recent talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, which faced criticism from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for excluding Ukraine from the discussions.
Highlighting overlooked crises, Jaishankar called for more global attention on conflicts in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, and the Sahel region.
On the Indo-Pacific front, he emphasized respect for international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982), urging all parties to honor agreements and avoid coercion.
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TN Assembly elections: Eight-month pregnant homemaker wins Thiru Vi Ka Nagar seat for TVK
Chennai (PTI): Before giving birth, she had already delivered a mandate—a symbol of hope for Thiru Vi Ka Nagar.
Echoing Delhi’s 2013 “common citizen” political churn associated with the rise of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), an eight-month-pregnant homemaker, M R Pallavi, has been elected as an MLA from Chennai’s Thiru Vi Ka Nagar constituency, emerging as one of the notable first-time faces of the Vijay-led TVK in the recently held Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
In the narrow lanes of Thiru Vi Ka Nagar, a steady stream of media personnel has been making their way to Pallavi’s residence—a scene reminiscent of the result day in Delhi when journalists thronged the modest home of Rakhi Birla, who had won from Mangolpuri on an AAP ticket.
Pallavi, 36, a homemaker educated up to class XII, defeated the DMK candidate K S Ravichandran by a margin of 22,333 votes in the reserved Thiru Vi Ka Nagar Assembly constituency.
Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam emerged as the single largest party by winning 108 seats, while DMK and AIADMK got 59 and 47, respectively.
Pallavi’s victory has drawn attention due to her personal circumstances. She campaigned extensively while eight months pregnant, going door-to-door to reach voters.
According to local accounts, she even fainted once during the campaign but continued her outreach.
She has not spoken to the media following her victory, as doctors have advised her to rest. Her husband, Rajesh, briefly recounted her campaign efforts.
A self-professed admirer of actor-turned-politician Vijay, Pallavi joined TVK soon after its formation and is now among its first-time legislators.
Doctors have advised her to be hospitalised around May 20, as she is expecting her second child. Ahead of that, voters in Thiru Vi Ka Nagar have entrusted her with representing them in the state Assembly.
Political observers say the rise of candidates like Pallavi signals a possible shift in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape, with voters backing a new party and candidates from non-traditional backgrounds.
