Page 363 - Politics
Rajiv Gauba may be next Cabinet Secretary
Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba may be appointed as next Cabinet Secretary, replacing P K Sinha, whose four year tenure comes to an end on June 12, officials said Monday. Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir, B V R Subrahmanyam, a 1987 batch IAS officer of Chhattisgarh cadre, seems to be the top contender for the post of union home secretary after Gauba. Gauba, one of the senior most bureaucrats, had served in various capacities in central government as well as in Jharkhand and Bihar governments, is supposed to complete his two-year tenure as home secretary on August 31. There is all likelihood that Gauba will be the next Cabinet Secretary, the top post in the country's bureaucracy, an official privy to the development said. If Gauba, a 1982 batch Jharkhand cadre IAS officer, is appointed as cabinet secretary, he will have a fixed two-year tenure, which can be extendable for further two years. Incumbent Sinha was first appointed in 2015 for two years. He got an year extension of ...
3 more state Congress chiefs resign
With the Congress facing an electoral debacle in several states in the Lok Sabha election, three more state party chiefs have tendered their resignations, taking the total number to seven.
Netanyahu slammed for plans to limit judicial power
Israel's Supreme Court President Esther Hayut criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday over the intention of the right-wing parties in the Parliament to limit the power of the state's judicial system.
Bangla's Hasina won't be able to attend Modi's inauguration for 2nd time
For a second time, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will miss her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi's swearing-in on May 30 as she will be on a three-nation foreign visit, officials here said Monday. According to a government release here, Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Huq will attend the ceremony as the senior most Cabinet member of the Bangladesh government. Prime Minister Hasina will be on a tri-nation visit to Japan, Saudi Arabia and Finland beginning Tuesday, it said. She could not attend the previous swearing-in ceremony of Modi in 2014 as she was abroad then too. Last time, Parliament Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury attended Modi's swearing-in ceremony held on May 26. Prime Minister Modi will be administered the oath of office for his second term along with his new council of ministers on May 30, the President's Office said Sunday in New Delhi. Several global leaders including US President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President ...
Ready to be Congress leader in Lok Sabha: Tharoor
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has said that he is ready to take the responsibility of the Leader of the Congress party in the Lok Sabha if party offers him the job.
Hike in power tariff triggers protest in Puducherry
The power tariff hike announced here on May 20 evoked protests from political parties and consumer outfits Monday, even as the chief minister V Narayanasamy said he would hold talks with the officials concerned over the issue. A group from the Puducherry unit of the Bharathiya Janata party (BJP) led by its president V Saminathan, an MLA, staged a protest in front of the head office of the Department of Electricity protesting against the increase announced by the joint electricity regulatory commission (JERC). The 4.59 per cent hike would come into force from June, an official source said. Saminathan said the hike was unwarranted and was announced within days of the completion of the Lok Sabha polls. He said the people were hoodwinked by the Congress government stating during the run-up to the poll that the hike in tax on property and also those increased by the municipalities would be rescinded. Now, the power tariff has been raised, which would hit only the common man,
May 23 should be celebrated as 'Modi diwas': Ramdev
Buoyed by BJP's massive win in the Lok Sabha polls, yoga guru Ramdev on Monday said that May 23, the day on which the election results were announced, should be celebrated as "Modi diwas".Lauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi for winning the trust of crores of people, he said, "On one side there was 'Mahagathbandan' and on the other side, there was Modi alone. He fought the polls and registered a resounding victory in Uttar Pradesh. People are now secure in his hands."Talking to reporters here, he said, "May 23, the day on which BJP won the elections with a massive mandate, should either be celebrated as Modi diwas or lok kalyan diwas."Ramdev, who is also a co-founder of Patanjali Ayurved Limited, had said yesterday that in order to contain population growth, the government should bring in a law whereby the third child should be bereft of voting rights.He had also demanded a complete ban on cow slaughter and said that it is the only way out to reduce the conflict between cow smugglers .
'Ram Vilas Paswan will again be part of Modi's cabinet'
BJP ally Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader and MP Chirag Paswan on Monday claimed that his father, the LJP chief and Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, will be inducted again into the cabinet of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
AIADMK mocks AMMK for poll debacle, party puts up brave face
The AIADMK on Monday mocked rival TTV Dhinakaran-led Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam for its poll drubbing and asserted that it cannot pose a challenge to the ruling party. The AIADMK took potshots at Dhinakaran for what it called his "tall talk," all along, claiming that 1.5 crore party workers were on his side and that AMMK nominees would post impressive poll victories. AIADMK organ "Namadhu Puratchi Thalaivi Amma," in a write up sarcastically said though Dhinakaran's nominees lost their deposits in the polls, their boastful claims have not stopped. Listing out the names of leaders who unsuccesfully tried to challenge AIADMK in the past, including veteran leader R M Veerappan, the daily said " the AMMK has also been decimated" in a similar fashion. The ruling party newspaper said Dhinakaran and the AMMK should understand that they can neither pose a challenge to the AIADMK nor "lead" their party, which was nurtured by stalwarts, founder M G Ramachandran and former Chief .
Vanquished Australian opposition shifts left with new leader
Australia's opposition is set to anoint Anthony Albanese as its new leader, hoping to win back the working class after a shock election defeat to the conservative government. The Australian Labor Party unexpectedly lost to incumbent leader Scott Morrison on May 18, despite leading in the polls running up to the election. Albanese, from Labor's left faction, replaced Bill Shorten when the former union chief stepped down hours after losing the vote. The 56-year-old will be officially confirmed by the Labor caucus on Thursday after the uncontested leadership ballot. Albanese vowed to create a "larger, more inclusive party" amid soul-searching within the ranks over the defeat. "I understand that it is a big mountain that we have to climb," Albanese told reporters in Sydney, where he holds his lower house seat, on Monday. "I want to build relationships between the Labor Party and those people who voted for us, but also those people who wanted to vote for us, who were open to vote for us, ..
Bhagwant Mann seeks immediate reinstatement of SIT member Kunwar Singh
AAP MP from Sangrur Bhagwant Mann on Monday sought reinstatement of special investigating team (SIT) member Kunwar Vijay Partap Singh, saying the process of bringing those behind the incidents of desecration of Sri Guru Granth Sahib at Behbal Kalan Kotkapura and firing incidents at Bargari had been put on the backburner.Mann underlined that an honest officer of Singh's stature was transferred by the Election Commission (EC) at the insistence of the Amarinder Singh government allegedly to give a huge benefit to the Badals for their alleged involvement in the incidents.He accused the Punjab Chief Minister of indulging in dilly-dallying tactics just to delay the process of delivering justice."Had the state government been a tad willing to expedite the process, he would have implemented the Justice Zora Singh Commission report by pointing its fingers towards the Badals, who had themselves set up the commission," Mann said.The AAP leader alleged that if the Punjab Chief Minister was ...
Punjab Congress chief resigns after losing seat to Deol
Punjab Congress President Sunil Jakhar, who lost the Lok Sabha election from Gurdaspur to BJP candidate and actor Sunny Deol, has sent his resignation from the post to party chief Rahul Gandhi.
Railways runs 78 special trains to meet summer rush
Due to unavailability of tickets in most fast and super fast trains during the summer holiday season, the Indian Railways is running 78 special trains to cater to the rush, an official said on Monday.
Kamal Nath government may not continue beyond a month: BJP leader
Leader of the Opposition in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly Gopal Bhargav on Monday raised doubts over the political future of the Kamal Nath government in the state and said it was unlikely that it would continue beyond a month.
Dalai Lama congratulates new Sikkim CM on poll win
Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on Monday congratulated Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang on his party's historic win in the recent Assembly election.
Rahul not yielding on resignation offer
New Delhi (India), May 27 (ANI): Two days after his resignation offer, Congress President Rahul Gandhi is said to be sticking to his decision and is keen that a new person could be chosen for the post to guide it in the challenging times ahead.Gandhi had offered to step down from his post at the CWC meeting on Saturday taking moral responsibility for the dismal performance in the polls. But it was unanimously rejected by the CWC.Sources said that despite senior leaders making serious attempts to convince him to rethink on his decision, Gandhi is said to be unfazed.Earlier in the day, he offered tributes to India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru at Shanti Van on the occasion of his death anniversary. When some Congress leaders urged him there to continue as the president, he just smiled and went away.Party Treasurer Ahmed Patel and Organisational General Secretary K C Venugopal met with Gandhi at his residence here and urged him to continue to lead the party.Party leaders, ...
Post-LS poll debacle, internal bickering haunts Rajasthan Congress
After suffering a humiliating drubbing in the Lok Sabha elections, internal bickering has begun haunting Rajasthan Congress with top state leaders facing the ire of party rank and file.Many party leaders have asked for 'change in leadership' and 'resignation' of those responsible for the party's worst ever electoral show in the state.The Congress party failed to win even a single seat in the state in the Lok Sabha polls. The BJP and its ally won all 25 seats.After the 'purported resignation' letter of Minister Lalchand Kataria went viral on social media, Ramesh Chanda Meena called for introspection in the party.Senior party leader and Cabinet Minister Udaylal Anjana has questioned the ticket distribution."Defeat is a cause of concern but why should I resign from the post of the minister which I have got with such a difficulty," he asked.It is learnt Congress party Rahul Gandhi at the recently held Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting accused three senior Congress leaders including
Days after LS rout in Delhi, Cong forms 5-member committee to introspect loss
Delhi Congress chief and former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Monday constituted a five-member committee to probe in depth the reasons behind the party's rout in the city-state in the recently-concluded Lok Sabha elections.The committee members include Parvez Hashmi, Dr AK Walia, Dr Yoganand Shastri, national spokesperson Pawan Khera and Jaikishan (ex-MLA). They will probe the reasons for the defeat of all the seven Congress candidates in the Lok Sabha elections in Delhi.The committee will also discuss steps to be taken to ensure Congress' victory in the state Assembly elections to be held early next year and how to further strengthen the party's hold in Delhi.The committee has been asked to submit its report to Dikshit within ten days.Congress marginally improved its performance in the Lok Sabha elections in Delhi, where the party finished second in five of the seven parliamentary constituencies in the city-state.Dikshit, who contested from North East Delhi seat, lost to sitting ..
BJP offering ministerial post and money, won't accept: BSP MLA Ramabai
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA Ramabai on Monday claimed to have been offered a ministerial berth and crores of rupees by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in exchange for withdrawing support from the Congress-led state government.However, Ramabai, while speaking to ANI, said she denied BJP's offer."Yes, they (BJP) keep calling and saying I will also get what is being offered to others. They told me that I will get a ministerial birth and Rs 50-60 crore. It is false speculation that legislators are breaking away," she claimed.Affirming that Congress government is neither in trouble nor at the verge of tumbling, she added, "They (BJP leaders) are offering money to everyone but anyone who accepts it would be a fool. Money is not everything in life, we have to see right and wrong and the fact is BJP is wrong. Ministerial birth and money are not important to me. It is important that Kamal Nath government stays."An MLA from Pathariya assembly constituency, Ramabai blamed EVMs for her party's
Tejashwi should resign from post of Leader of Oppn in Assembly: Rebel RJD leader Mahesh Yadav
In the wake of RJD's dismal performance in the Lok Sabha elections, rebel party leader Mahesh Yadav on Monday demanded the resignation of Tejashwi Yadav from the post of Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly, saying people are fed up of dynasty politics."Tejashwi Yadav should resign from the post of Leader of Opposition as people are fed up of dynasty politics. The party must give the post to some senior leader. If dynasty politics does not come to an end, the party will break up and a large fragment will go away," he told ANI.Mahesh Yadav said he has been opposing the family-centred politics in the party since the time RJD chief Lalu Prasad's wife Rabri Devi was sworn in as the chief minister."I will not take names but many legislators have the same feeling. Why would anyone want to remain in a party where the future is bleak? The whole country has rejected dynasty politics but it still continues in RJD," he said.Mahesh Yadav said, "RJD had succeeded when it forged an alliance with .